As more carrier equipment has been added, wireless towers have to be stronger than ever. However, the industry standard for reinforcing monopoles requires welding, which poses a fire hazard, and drilling hundreds of holes. This can impact timelines, compromise the poles’ integrity, and present additional safety risks for the crews.
Given these challenges, Tower Engineering Solutions (TES), a Congruex company, recognized the need for a “simpler, safer solution to upgrade monopoles.” This led to the development of the patented TES Link-Plate™ and Direct Anchorage Termination™ solutions.
“A fundamental aspect of the Link-Plate™ Solution is that it avoids welding and the excessive drilling of holes, which increase the timeline and require additional maintenance considerations,” explains Jaime Reyes, TES Vice President Operations. “Our patented approach not only eliminates fire hazards due to welding and minimizes safety risks, but also preserves the integrity of the poles.”
Additionally, the TES Link-Plate™ Solution requires the plate reinforcement to be anchored to the foundation using the patented Direct Anchorage Termination™ Solution, which provides a direct load transfer to the foundation and, unlike traditional methods, does not involve welding.
Typically, 400 to 600 bolts must be drilled in a monopole reinforcement project. The TES solution transfers the load between the consecutive plates on the monopoles without all of the drilling.
“We were looking for a solution that was simpler and safer, one that reduces labor and time that an installer must be in the air and the number of the expensive blind bolts,” Reyes said. “The TES patented solutions effectively address some of the drawbacks and the major challenges of other less efficient and less effective traditional methods.”
On top of that, the TES solution is 20 to 30 percent less expensive than standard solutions, Reyes added. This equates to faster project timelines, reduced expenses, and decreased potential risks associated with excessive modification, as well as lower long-term maintenance.
The standard solution achieves force transfer by adding a plate that overlaps both top and reinforcing bars then connects with 18 to 22 blind bolts per splice, which forces the installer in the air much longer. Alternatively, the TES Link-Plate™ Solution eliminates the bolts by using two shop-welded blocks on one reinforcing plate and two holes on the other adjoining plate to achieve complete load transfer.
Conclusion
With the savings in both labor and material timing of the TES Link-Plate™ Solution over traditional solutions, tower owners are more likely to stay with their existing tower as opposed to doing a drop and swap. By avoiding welding and reducing drilling, the TES Link-Plate™ and Direct Anchorage Termination™ Solutions lower risk to tower climbers. Additionally, over the long term, maintenance costs will be less, because there is no burn off of galvanizing and less chance of a bolt hole being oversized.
For more information, contact Tracy McQueen at 678-362-4790 or Wade Collins at 615-714-8202.
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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