Baby Boomer Poles Ailments and Fixes Carl Kempkes, NACE III CIP DIRECTOR OF Operations Matco Services Valmon

1. Baby Boomer PolesAilments and FixesCarl Kempkes, NACE III CIP DIRECTOR OF Operations Matco Services Valmont Industries NCSC Omaha Conference October 8, 2013

2. Baby Boomer Poles . . . • Been around for a while • Still have some life in them . . . but they now have some aches and pains

3. Objectives of this presentation • Understanding issues that affect pole service life • Basics in evaluating pole condition • Considerations to increase pole service life

4. Baby Boomer Poles . . . What the industry sees: • Paint & Coating Failures • Corrosion Failures • Fatigue Failures

5. Is what we see . . .

6. Steel/Aluminum Poles: Life is determined by how well we can control . . . • Corrosion • Fatigue • Overload

7. Corrosion is the primary destroyer of poles Corrosion . . . The deterioration of the metal due to reaction with the environment.

8. Corrosion Cycle Iron Ore Fe2O3 Blast Furnace – Reduction to Fe Steelmaking Furnace Structural Steel Oxidation of Fe – Rust - Fe2O3

9. Mechanical Damage

10. UV deterioration . . . Leads to corrosion

11. Ultra Violet damage & corrosion

12. Atmospheric Corrosion

13. De-icing Salts Pose Aggressive Corrosion Issues: Surface & Substrate Deterioration

14. Coatings Provide the Primary Defense for Corrosion Protection • However, all coatings have a limited life determined by: • Barrier Protection • Adhesion • UV Protection • Resistance to Mechanical Damage • Corrosion Mechanisms • Environmental Considerations • Installation

15. Factors to be considered before a coating system is specified. • Type of substrate • Service Environment and Conditions • Durability to Mechanical Damage • Barrier Properties • Long Term Appearance

16. As Coating Systems Are Not Created Equal, Comparative Tier Testing Is Recommended • Adhesion Properties (resin and preparation) • Cathodic Delamination (resin that has alkaline/salt resistance) • Barrier Properties (resists pin holes & gassing, allows for thickness, covers sharp edges) E.I.S. • Impact Resistance, Toughness to Mechanical Damage & Road Debris (strength and ductility) • Galvanic Protection (zinc) • Color and Gloss Retention (UV resistance)

17. Example of Cathodic Delamination Testing

18. What Is Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS)? • Non-destructive testing technique for evaluating the protection of organic coatings. • Uses AC current to measure the electrical resistance (impedance) of a coating. • Used to assess coating integrity following deterioration.

19. Installation is Important “Immersion” style conditions do not allow moisture to run-off. Gap allows drainage and prevents water/moisture build-up.

20. Installation: Grouting Can Be Problematic

21. Can Lead to Internal Corrosion

22. Grouting can promote corrosion

23. Let’s also look inside: Grouting can contribute to internal corrosion due impeded drainage

24. Corrosion Failure of “Buried” Pole Pole “buried” when set. Ground Line Improperly set poles may cause water/moisture retention. GroundLine “Buried” poles can not drain. As a result, internal and external corrosion may occur. Corrosion attack below grade.

25. Built-up Landscaping:

26. Pole corrosion can lead to . . . …. this type of damage

27. What can we do . . . structural repair with collar

28. Wind Induced Vibration Fatigue Fatigue . . . Although rare, pole vibrations severe enough to accelerate pole fatigue can occur and damage a pole.

29. What “Fatigue” is . . . • Fatigue is the progressive failure of a component subjected to repeated strains at stresses below the yield strength of the material.

30. Fatigue Failures Can Be Catastrophic!

31. Pole Metal Fatigue

32. Cyclic Wind Loads

33. Example of Fatigue Crack

34. Loose Anchor Bolt Nuts May Promote Fatigue

35. Fatigue Crack Above Weld

36. When visual may not be good enough: • Nondestructive Testing • Ultrasonic • Magnetic particle • Liquid penetrant • Radiography

37. NDT reveals cracks and discontinuities not readily apparent with the naked eye

38. Fatigue Repair with Gussets

39. Drivers for inspection Aging Infrastructure, Largely Ignored Emerging, Growing Awareness Safety, Liability, Reliability Catastrophic Storm Damage Standards Development, Growing Involvement

40. Assessment Considerations • Recent Pole Failure in the Area • Wind Events • Frequent Lamp Replacement • Loose Anchor Bolt Nuts • Structure Age

41. Assessment Considerations • Grouting • Corrosive Environment • Frequent De-icing • Paint Failure

42. Importance of Annual Maintenance: • There are no maintenance free poles. • Inspection determines the current state condition of a pole. • Inspection catches and mitigates corrosion and/or fatigue issues early to ensure cost effective repair procedures. • Maintenance extends pole life and reduces pole lifetime costs.

43. Summary • Poles are at risk in corrosive environments • Failures due to corrosion will occur just a matter of time if not detected • Fatigue and corrosion deterioration accelerates over time • Fatigue, while rare is influenced by many interacting variables including loose anchorage, major wind events and/or cyclic wind conditions.

44. Summary • Inspection determines the current state of a pole. It lets the owner make decisions in an informed data driven way. • Inspection identifies poles that need immediate attention which reduces liability concerns and promotes risk management of assets. • Inspection allows for maintenance and replacement planning and allocation.

45. Thank You Questions . . .