Investigation of Wind-Induced Highway Lighting Pole Vibration Using Full-Scale Measurement

Under the excitation from wind, some highway lighting poles have exhibited large-amplitude vibrations. Such unexpected vibrations have resulted in premature failure of, or damage to, these structures. To investigate the mechanism of these wind-induced vibrations, a long-term full-scale measurement project was conducted at Texas Tech University under the sponsorship of Texas Department of Transportation. Interpretation of the recorded lighting pole vibrations and the corresponding wind revealed two types of wind excitation mechanism: buffeting, which is responsible for large-amplitude vibrations in the first in-plane and out-of-plane modes of the structure, and vortex-shedding, under specific wind conditions, which induces vibrations of the structure in the higher modes. This report describes the full-scale monitoring campaign and summarizes the results obtained from this effort.

• Record URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/hostedpdfs/texastech/0-4586-5.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/83790
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Tech University, Lubbock

  Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Transportation
  P.O. Box 41023
  Lubbock, TX  United States  79409-1023

  Texas Department of Transportation

  Research and Technology Implementation Office, P.O. Box 5080
  Austin, TX  United States  78763-5080

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Zuo, Delong
  • Letchford, Christopher
• Publication Date: 2008-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Technical Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 46p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Field tests; Lighting columns; Vibration; Vortex shedding; Wind
• Uncontrolled Terms: Buffeting
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01613035
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/TX -08-0-4586-5, Report No. 0-4586-5
• Contract Numbers: Project 0-4586
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Oct 9 2016 4:49PM