A SIMPLIFIED DESIGN PROCEDURE FOR END-PLATES AND BASE-PLATES OF CANTILEVERED TRAFFIC STRUCTURES

Although end-plates and base-plates are routinely used in cantilevered structures supporting traffic signs, signals, and lights, no standard procedure has been established for the design of these plates. In this report, a simplified procedure is developed for design of end-plates and base-plates of these structures, and also for base-plates of span-wire-mounted traffic-signal structures. The proposed procedure is based on beam-and-plate bending and torsion theories, and is intended for routine application by practicing engineers when designing plates of square configurations. Plate thicknesses and stresses obtained using this procedure compared well with those estimated using finite-element analysis, and also supported earlier conclusions reached through physical testing. In all, 35 base-plates from five major manufacturers of traffic poles used in New York State were analyzed in the study. A spreadsheet program implementing the proposed procedure was also developed as an efficient tool for engineers designing these items. Using this tool will not only expedite the design process, but also facilitate optimizing plate sizes, because various design alternatives can be easily investigated and the optimal alternative rationally selected.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/sr131.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/22000/22000/22035/PB99156762.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  New York State Department of Transportation

  Transportation Research and Development Bureau, 1220 Washington
  Albany, NY  United States  12232

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Owens, F T
  • Hag-Elsafi, O
  • Alampalli, S
• Publication Date: 1999-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 68 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cantilevers; Design methods; Lighting columns; Sign supports; Spreadsheets; Stresses; Support poles; Thickness
• Uncontrolled Terms: Base plates; Cantilevered traffic structures; End plates; Signal supports
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00765966
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/NY/SR-99/131,, Special Report 131,, Final Report
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 19 1999 12:00AM