Title: Reliability assessment of H-section tapered electric power distribution concrete poles

Authors: Ajibola Ibrahim Quadri; Joseph Olasehinde Afolayan

Addresses: Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo, Nigeria ' Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo, Nigeria

Abstract: The collapse of electric tapered distribution concrete poles in Nigeria has increased tragically, leading to a recurrent power outage, vehicular traffic on the road and the death of innocents due to electrocution. Efforts to realise the service life of concrete poles have been waning. This report gives the investigation of several affected areas in Southwest Nigeria to mitigate the dominant damage under uncertain loading conditions. Data on the H-type tapered concrete poles were collected from a Nigerian electric distribution company and routed in the Concrete Model of Three Dimensions (COM 3D) for FEM analysis to better understand their behaviour under uncertain loading conditions. The level of reliability of the existing poles was probabilistically estimated. The dominant damage of the tapered concrete poles was necking at around 6 metres height; the FEM analysis also demonstrated conformity to the onsite damage scenario. The safety level of the poles determined by the recommendation of the Joint Committee on Structural Safety revealed that reliability decreased with increasing tapered geometry of the pole. The safety level is significantly critical at 6 metres and above.

Keywords: concrete pole; damage response; FEM analysis; reliability assessment; resistant properties; site investigation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRS.2022.131470

International Journal of Reliability and Safety, 2022 Vol.16 No.3/4, pp.189 - 217

Received: 27 Jul 2022
Accepted: 23 Dec 2022
Published online: 13 Jun 2023 *

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