Design of Sports Lighting Support Structures - Will Your Structures Perform to Expectation?

摘要

For many years, tubular steel poles have been utilized in various industries. A popular support structure for the sports lighting industry due to their strength, reliability, and ease of installation, the steel pole has served the industry well. The industry has steel pole installations that have been in service upward of fifty years. However, in recent years, there have been numerous failures of sports lighting structures. While manufacturing, installation, and maintenance issues have contributed to these failures, design issues have also contributed. Careful attention to the design requirements for these structures will prolong their lifespan and ensure public safety. As with any steel support structure, consistent application of a design standard is critical. Historically, the sports lighting industry has not utilized a consistent standard for the design of its support structures. Some pole structures are purchased to meet a recognized structural code with appropriate load and strength safety factors and others are sold as general "commercial" design. Design issues include improper factors of safety, inadequate base plate design, insufficient anchor bolts, improper application of wind and wind coefficients, undersized welds, improper material specifications, and ignoring fatigue issues. Standardizing the design process will improve the safety of these structures and reduce confusion during the procurement process. This article will present current methods used to design sports lighting structures to the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaries, and Traffic Signals, 5th Edition, 2009. The document is specifically for pole structures, specifies factor of safety, addresses fatigue issues, and addresses wind induced vibration issues.