Effect of treatment on strength and stiffness of Western Red Cedar utility poles
- Powertech Labs Inc., Surrey (Canada)
- B.C. Hydro, Burnaby (Canada)
Based on a survey of North American utilities, research organizations and manufacturers, the effect of preservative methods on strength and stiffness of new wood utility poles was found to be inconclusive. This is primarily due to the fact that no direct comparisons were made between the mechanical properties of the same poles before and after the treatment. Hence a systematic research program was carried out on thirty, forty-five foot long Western Red Cedar poles having different sizes. Two newly developed Nondestructive Evaluation instruments, based on ultrasonic principles, were used to grade and assure the quality of these poles, individually, at the green stage. Penetration resistances were quantified using an instrumented drill. The stiffness of the untreated poles were measured from full scale deflection tests. After these measurements, the poles were treated with chromate copper arsenate (CCA) wood preservatives. Change in strength, stiffness and penetration resistance due to the treatment was quantified for each pole using the above methods. This paper will summarize the results obtained from this research program.
- OSTI ID:
- 175462
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950686-; TRN: 95:006111-0473
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Joint applied mechanics and materials summer meeting, Los Angeles, CA (United States), 28-30 Jun 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of AMD - MD `95: Summer conference; PB: 520 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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