Pole Load Transfer Bracket for Cracked Flange Weld Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Utility poles with multi-part structures experience weakened flange welds due to cracking, making field repairs costly and risky, especially when power lines are energized and subject to wind loads.
Innovation Solution
Installation of one-piece load transfer brackets with elongated portions secured to the pole using blind fasteners, spanning across the weakened flange area to support forces without the need for welding, effectively bypassing the failing welds and flanges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If weld repairs are performed on flange connections, then the structural integrity is restored, but the cost and risk increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into multiple segments (first bracket portion, second bracket portion, third bracket portion) that can be separately manufactured and then assembled together. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing, transportation, and installation of the repair component, reducing overall repair complexity and cost while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket serves as an intermediary component that transfers loads between the upper and lower pole sections without requiring direct welding to the flanges. By introducing this intermediate load transfer mechanism, the repair avoids the high costs and risks associated with welding operations on energized structures while effectively restoring structural integrity.
2Reliability
If welding is used to repair flange connections, then the load transfer is restored, but the risk and complexity increase due to energized power lines
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the welding process (thermal/mechanical system) with a mechanical fastening system using bolts and brackets. This substitution eliminates the risks associated with welding near energized power lines, such as electrical interference, heat damage, and safety hazards, while still restoring the load transfer capacity through pure mechanical means.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket acts as an intermediary load transfer mechanism that bypasses the need for welding entirely. By transferring loads through the bracket's mechanical connection to the pole sections, the system avoids exposure to harmful factors associated with welding operations on or near energized structures.
3Strength
If extensive welding is performed on all flange welds, then the structural strength is restored, but the time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is segmented into multiple portions that can be manufactured independently and assembled in place. This segmentation reduces the time required for manufacturing and installation compared to performing extensive welding operations on all flange connections, while still providing the necessary structural strength through the distributed load transfer path.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket portions can be pre-manufactured and prepared before installation at the site. This preliminary action allows for quality control and preparation to occur in a controlled environment, reducing the time required for actual field installation and minimizing disruption to the power line operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for making a field repair on a multi-part pole having upper and lower walls joined together by a flanged connection, wherein the welds on the flanged connection are beginning to show signs of failure. The arrangement includes a bracket having a substantially “U”-shaped central portion which spans the flanged connection, and upper and lower elongated portions extending from the central portion, lying flush against and secured to the upper and lower walls of the pole, respectively.