Control of Environmental Degradation of Concrete Power Poles

A. Aghajani, Behnaz Aghajani

Abbstract :

any factors can play a role in early degradation of concrete power poles, including damage from corrosion and mechanical forces. Corrosive agents and water penetrate through the soil into the buried part of the concrete pole. This can produce a wicking effect where the penetrating groundwater begins to evaporate after reaching a height above the atmospheric-buried interface of the pole. This leads to an increase in concentration of corrosive agents in the lower part of the pole and the occurrence of color changes in this location. The wicking ultimately leads to reinforcement corrosion and as a result, cracking and spalling of the concrete cover.

The weight of electrical cables attached to the pole and wind forces can bend the pole. These loads can produce cracks in the concrete in both atmospheric and buried portions. These cracks can accelerate the penetration of corrosive agents into concrete and as a result, accelerate degradation of the pole.

In some cases, moisture, air pollution, and corrosion of the concrete poles in the lower part can result in conditions of leaking electrical current from the high-voltage electrical wires through the insulators, to the concrete pole, and then to the ground, which accelerates degradation of the pole.

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Control of Environmental Degradation of Concrete Power Poles