How to Erect Utility Poles Vertically

摘要

Though the builders of the Tower of Pisa never intended it to lean, thanks to the faulty geotechnicai practices of the 12-13 Century CE, the tower tilted by right degrees over time to secure a place in the list of Modern World Wonders alongside India's Taj Mahal - much admired for its superstructure made of delicate marble, which cannot tolerate an iota of differential settlement - firmly held in position by its invisible but innovative 17th Century CE foundation. Constructed mostly under water when river Yamuna was flowing close by and remaining unyielding in the face of future groundwater level fluctuations and increase in live load due to constant human movement, the foundation of Taj Mahal is as wondrous as the superstructure it supports. But, the far too much leaning, too petty humanmade utility poles, such as the ones shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a micro specimen of the vast multitude, go unnoticed all over in the 21st Century CE India. The natural palm trees, in comparison, grow much straighter (Fig 4). Untenable civil and geotechnicai engineering practices followed in India are the causes of this malady. Causes, of which, qualified civil engineers from accredited institutions aren't supposed to be ignorant.