Mixed-composite modular poles for distribution and transportation of electricity

Many of the existing electrical or telecommunication poles should be replaced. The countries revising their environmental laws are questioning the sustained use of wooden poles because of the fact that poles account for about half of the treated wood sales and the toxic chemicals employed to preserve their longevity. Also, the large number of cables and equipment installed on the poles increase the load often making them lean on one side which produces an unpleasant visual effect. In addition, in the urban regions susceptible to freezing rain the burying of lines as an option will require systematic and gradual intervention. The alternative structures to resolve all of these requirements are steel, concrete, or as introduced here, composite modular poles. The paper introduces the concept of composite modular poles and the advantages of this type of structure to address the above mentioned concerns. Also, the paper explains the geometry of the modular structure, the structural behaviour under different loading conditions and the methods employed in the handling of various structural elements during the assembling process. The results of an extensive numerical analysis confirming the structural behaviour are presented as well.