STRENGTH OF FILLET WELDS IN ALUMINUM LIGHTING POLES

Tests were performed to ascertain the inherent strength of aluminum fillet welds such as those used to make lighting support poles for highways. It was found that two sources of excess strength beyond that recognized by current design specifications were often available. One was that the strength of a fillet weld when loaded so that the resultant forces are perpendicular to its length is 35-45 percent greater than when it is loaded parallel to its length. The other, applicable only to members that are hollow and round or near-round (as are virtually all the aluminum highway lighting support poles), was that the shape factor for such cross sections was 1.31 rather than 1.12, the shape factor often used for most metal structural shapes. Examples of a near-round member include many-sided polygons and ellipses in which the major and minor axes are nearly the same length. Because the shape factor represents excess strength beyond first yield, this finding represents a ((1.31/1.12)-1) 100 percent = 17 percent increase in load-carrying capacity. A method is suggested for amending the applicable specifications to reflect these greater strengths. (Autors)

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1981/796/796-006.pdf
• Record URL:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Safety Appurtenances. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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• Authors:
  • Noel, James S
  • Buth, C E
  • Hirsch, T J
• Conference:
  • 60th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1981-1-12 to 1981-1-16
• Publication Date: 1981

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 35-41
• Monograph Title: HIGHWAY SAFETY APPURTENANCES
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 796
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminum; Bearing capacity; Fillet welds; Lighting columns; Loads; Shape; Specifications; Strength of materials; Support poles; Testing
• Old TRIS Terms: Shape factor; Yield
• Subject Areas: Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00341616
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309032105
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Nov 23 1981 12:00AM