Cellular Pole Foundation for Stress Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foundation structures for vertical poles, such as streetlights and cellular towers, are inefficient in terms of material usage, production time, and environmental impact, as they often require large amounts of concrete and complex installation processes.
Innovation Solution
A cellular and ballasted universal pole foundation with a tapered design that utilizes additive technology to create a lightweight, unitarily fabricated structure with internal cellular walls that distribute stress and reduce material usage by at least 5%, featuring a pole cap to secure and stabilize the pole while preventing moisture ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional foundation structures use solid material construction, then structural strength is improved, but material usage and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The foundation structure is divided into multiple cellular compartments formed by internal walls within the outer shell. These cells segment the internal volume to create stress distribution pathways while reducing the amount of material needed compared to a solid construction, directly addressing the contradiction between strength and material quantity
Solution Approach 2:
The foundation transitions from a two-dimensional solid cross-section to a three-dimensional cellular structure with internal walls creating multiple compartments. This dimensional evolution allows stress to be distributed throughout the volume rather than concentrated in a solid mass, achieving strength with reduced material
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional foundation structures use complex installation processes, then structural stability is improved, but installation time and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The foundation integrates multiple functions into a single unitary structure: the outer shell provides structural containment, internal cellular walls provide stress distribution, and the integrated pole cap provides pole securing and moisture protection. This merging eliminates the need for separate concrete pouring, curing, and pole anchoring operations, reducing installation time while maintaining stability
Solution Approach 2:
The foundation is pre-fabricated with the cellular structure, internal walls, and pole cap integrated before delivery to the site. This preliminary construction of the complete structure eliminates on-site concrete pouring and curing time, allowing rapid installation while ensuring structural stability through controlled manufacturing conditions
3Reliability
If conventional foundation structures use traditional concrete construction, then structural integrity is improved, but production time and carbon emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The foundation replaces traditional concrete pouring and curing processes with additive manufacturing technology. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming curing phase while producing a structure with controlled material properties and integrated cellular geometry, improving both productivity and structural integrity through digital fabrication
Solution Approach 2:
The foundation utilizes additive manufacturing to change the material deposition parameters, building the structure layer by layer with precise control over density, porosity, and internal wall formation. This parameter control enables complex cellular geometries to be produced efficiently without compromising structural integrity, significantly reducing production time compared to traditional methods
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A prefabricated load bearing structural assembly comprising a pole having a first bottom section and a second section of the pole disposed above the first section, a cap having inner vertical walls and outer vertical walls, and a foundation having a pole cavity therein that is sized to receive the first bottom section of the pole therein, the cap being sized to fill a gap between an outer surface of the pole and an inner surface of the pole cavity, the foundation is unitarily fabricated with vertical internal cellular walls (69) configured to transfer lateral and axial stresses away from the pole through the cap.