Tapered Box-Section Steel Mast for Torsional Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steel masts lack optimal material efficiency for high loads and torsional rigidity while requiring a slim, visually appealing design with adaptable height and easy mounting on various foundations, and they often suffer from high wind loads and weak resistance to loading on one side.
Innovation Solution
A steel mast with a box-section construction featuring tapering web and flange plates connected at angles, a mast base plate with a cutout for increased strength, and adjustable height options, along with web recesses for reduced weight and wind resistance, and stiffening elements for enhanced rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the mast uses a box-section construction with web and flange plates, then the torsional rigidity and load-bearing capacity are improved, but the amount of material used increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mast is divided into modular components (web plates and flange plates) that are alternately connected to form a box-section construction. This segmentation allows the structure to achieve high torsional rigidity through the box configuration while using less material overall compared to solid section masts of equivalent strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-section of the mast varies along its height, with the box-section dimensions being larger at the base and gradually decreasing toward the top. This local variation in section properties optimizes material distribution, providing maximum strength where loads are highest while reducing material usage in lower-stress regions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the mast cross-section is reduced to lower wind load, then the material usage decreases, but the load-bearing capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mast employs a streamlined box-section configuration that reduces aerodynamic drag compared to traditional H-shaped masts. The tapered box-section form minimizes wind load by allowing wind to flow more smoothly around the structure, while the closed box configuration maintains high torsional rigidity and load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mast dimensions are optimized by varying the cross-sectional parameters along the height. The box-section width and height are larger at the base to withstand higher loads and wind pressures, then gradually decrease upward. This parameter variation reduces overall wind load exposure while maintaining adequate load-bearing capacity at each level.
3Strength
If the mast base plate is welded into a cutout in the foundation, then the connection strength is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mast base plate is designed with a cutout that corresponds to the outer contour of the mast, and the mast is welded into this pre-formed cutout in the foundation. This preliminary configuration of the base plate allows for simplified field installation while achieving superior connection strength, as the mast fits precisely into the prepared opening and can be welded from both sides.
4Strength
If the web plates are connected at a distance from flange plate edges, then the structural integrity is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The web plates are connected to the flange plates along the flange plate edges at a distance, forming flange plate overhangs that extend above the height of the mast. This merging of connection elements creates a more robust joint that distributes loads more effectively, improving structural integrity while the standardized connection detail facilitates consistent manufacturing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a steel mast in box section construction, wherein the steel mast has a cross-section decreasing from the mast base (10) to the mast head (4), and wherein the steel mast is formed over at least a large part of its height from web plates (1) and flange plates (6), which are alternately connected to each other at an inclination to each other, preferably welded.