Wind-Induced Failures of Highway Light Poles During Winter Storms

Wind-induced failures of aluminum-alloy highway light poles during a winter storm are investigated. Wind-induced phenomena including along-wind buffeting and galloping-type vibration, initiated by the presence of freezing precipitation on the surface of the units, are analyzed. The dynamic performance of these systems is evaluated through numerical statistical simulations. The representation of the aerodynamic coefficients in the presence of freezing rain is based upon existing literature. Statistical methods were preferred due to the absence of field data and the inherent uncertainty associated with this particular event.Copyright © 2006 by ASME