Tower Construction, Tower Standards and Failure Prevention Thomas B. Silliman, PE President and CEO Electronics Research, Inc. AANNSSII//TTIIAA--11001199 ((DDRRAAFFTT)) SSttrruuccttuurraall SSttaannddaarrddss ffoorr IInnssttaallllaattiioonn,, AAlltteerraattiioonn aanndd MMaaiinntteennaannccee ooff CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn TToowweerrss,, AAnntteennnnaass aanndd AAnntteennnnaa SSuuppppoorrttiinngg SSttrruuccttuurreess Historical Development of Standards • SEI/ASCE 37 – 02 Design Loads on Structures During Construction: Approved in 2001 • TIA-1019 Gin Pole Standard was approved January 9, 2004. • TIA-222-G – Revision of TIA/EIA-222-F – Standard for design of communication structures – Aug. 2005 • TIA-1019- Construction Standard scheduled for approval in the Fall of 2009 – Includes the Gin Pole Standard AANNSSII//TTIIAA--222222--GG AAuugguusstt 22000055 Structural Standard for Antenna Supporting Structures and Antennas • This standard does not account for construction equipment loading, removal of members, uneven guy wire forces, or loading on the tower in its unfinished state. The New Standard will incorporate the existing gin pole standard ANSI/TIA-1019-2004 Gin Pole Standard July 9, 2004 What is a Gin Pole • It is a device unique to the Telecommunications and Broadcast Industries used to raise successive sections of tower steel and equipment into position. • This temporary device allows headroom above the highest fixed point of a tower or structure to place equipment or materials. Gin Pole in Use Development of Gin Pole Standard • Standard developed mostly by ERI after a conversation between Ernie Jones and me • I asked for safe gin poles for our tower construction business • Ernie indicated that it was impossible to guarantee that a gin pole could be properly designed because there was no design standard for gin pole design The development started with laboratory tests of scale models