SUPPORT POSTS

Abstract

The support pole 2 comprises an outer tube 4 and a solid core consisting of split lengths 14 of bamboo canes encapsulated by a matrix material 8. The ends of the pole can be closed with convex caps. The pole can be formed by splitting one or more bamboo canes into divided lengths, inserting a bundle of the split lengths into an outer tube, and injecting a matrix material to encapsulate the split lengths and form a solid core. Before injecting the matrix material, the outer tube can be tilted and subjected to a vacuum, or have one end closed with a convex cap. Infrared radiation emitted by the core can be used to check how the matrix material fills between the divided lengths. The matrix material can be injected at several points. The matrix material can be polyurethane foam.The pole could be a lamppost, a telegraph pole, or an electricity pole.