7433 - Technical Specifications - Galvanized Steel TM Poles Page 1 of 15
Denton Municipal Electric
City of Denton, Texas
Technical Specification
For Purchase of:
GALVANIZED STEEL TRANSMISSION POLES
RFP #7433
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this specification is to provide the information necessary for prospective
suppliers to prepare proposals for fabricating and delivering galvanized steel poles, anchor
bolt cages, and other associated galvanized steel hardware in accordance with structural
design drawings provided in Exhibit #A (Solicitation’s IONWAVE page, ‘Attachments’ tab).
for construction of the Denton Municipal Electric (DME) 138kV Brinker Substation Tie-In
transmission line project.
The work required by this specification is to fabricate two (2) galvanized steel poles,
galvanized steel hardware, anchor bolt cage assemblies, and any other hardware required to
make the poles complete and functional assemblies, all in accordance with the requirements
of this specification, and deliver them to staging locations in Denton, Texas. Anchor bolt
assemblies shall be delivered 10 to 12 weeks in advance of pole delivery. Pole deliveries
shall be scheduled to arrive for unloading for each project in a single day unless DME
approves specific arrangements in advance.
The supplier shall furnish the fabrication drawings necessary to describe each pole and its
associated hardware components and to clearly indicate its intended orientation and
assembly. These shop drawings shall be packaged per project and submitted to DME for
review and approval prior to fabrication. Final drawings shall be provided prior to shipment.
Instructions shall be included for proper assembly of structures and for lifting them safely
into position.
Unit prices and other information must be provided in the ‘Line Items” IONWAVE tab
of this solicitation. The RFP includes detailed instructions for completing and
submitting required information and attachments.
Detailed pole drawings including load tree diagrams necessary for the steel pole structural
design and anchor bolt cage assemblies are included in Exhibit A.
The drawings included in Exhibit A are intended to be descriptive of the poles and the
performance they will be required to provide. The information presented in the drawings,
specifications, and other documentation is believed to be accurate. As with any type of
documentation, errors are possible. Errors or omission of items shall not relieve the
successful supplier of the responsibility to provide poles and other hardware items that
function as intended by the drawings and other descriptive information provided. Any errors
discovered shall be promptly reported to the City for resolution.
Technical questions, drawings, and transmittals shall be submitted via this solicitation’s
IONWAVE page (Questions tab) only.
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Technical Specifications
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Award will be to only one vendor. Pricing for poles shall include all costs for engineering,
drawings, complete poles with drilling, assembly bolts, anchor bolt assemblies, accessories,
any special fees and commissions, and freight (F.O.B. Destination) for delivery to the Denton
area. Relative to receipt of a purchase order, the proposed schedule for drawing submittals,
anchor bolt cage delivery, and pole delivery must be included in the proposal.
DME will provide labor and equipment, directly or through a contractor, for unloading at the
delivery locations, field assembly, and installation. The manufacturer shall provide blocking
and instructions for proper shipping and for storage of poles at the staging sites.
After award of contract, technical questions, drawings, and transmittals shall be
directed to (any communication prior to council award will result in disqualification):
Mr. Mark Zimmerer, P.E. Ms. Laura Cheek
Transmission Engineer Electrical Engineering Technician
Denton Municipal Electric Denton Municipal Electric
II. SERVICE CONDITIONS
A. Site Location: All poles will be for service in and around Denton, Texas. Poles will be
delivered to a staging area. The owner reserves the right to change the delivery location up
to the time of arrival. Because DME’s service territory is within a limited geographic area,
in and around the City of Denton, no allowance will be made for changes in delivery
location(s) within the DME area.
B. Service Elevation: Approximately 640 feet above sea level.
C. Temperature: -20o F to +120o F.
D. Available Fault Currents: 26,000 amps RMS symmetrical.
E. Other Considerations: Moderately humid climate with 10 to 40 inches of rain per year;
wind up to 90 mph; occasional winter ice storms; thunderstorms with severe lightning
and some hail occurring in all months of the year with the greatest frequency during the
warmer months.
III. TECHNICAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
A. Definitions: The terms “owner”, “utility”, “purchaser”, “Denton Municipal Electric”,
“DME”, or “City of Denton” as used herein shall designate the City of Denton, Texas
dba Denton Municipal Electric. The terms “vendor”, “supplier”, “seller”, “distributor”,
“representative”, or “manufacturer” shall designate anyone submitting a proposal; and,
subsequently, anyone to whom the contract is awarded. The term “engineer” shall be
understood to refer to Denton Municipal Electric or its designated representative,
hereafter referred to as DME.
B. Detail Design: Detailed structural design is the responsibility of the supplier. The
drawings and other data are intended as physical and functional descriptions that are to
be used by the manufacturer in completing the structural design. All clearances and
spacings were designed to conform to National Electrical Safety Code, ANSI and NEMA
standards. Any drawing errors discovered shall be promptly reported to DME for
resolution.
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C. Omissions or Errors: It is the intent of this specification to require the supplier to
provide the steel poles, anchor bolt cage assemblies, and other pole hardware necessary
to provide complete transmission structures equipped and featured appropriately to
perform and operate in accordance with the drawings and specifications and to deliver
all items to designated sites in the Denton, Texas area. Further it is the intent of this
specification to require that the steel be fabricated, as a minimum, in accordance with all
US standards that apply to steel structure manufacturing and testing. Omission of any
minor details from this specification, minor mistakes or typographical errors in text, or
mistakes in attempting to reference standards or data in the standards shall not relieve
the supplier from the responsibility to furnish all material or equipment necessary to
make the steel poles fully functional as described and intended herein.
D. Delivery Schedule: The supplier shall indicate on the Proposal the proposed schedule in
weeks after receipt of order (ARO) of approval drawings, shipping date of anchor bolt
cage assemblies, and steel poles. The lead-time for pole delivery will be a consideration
in evaluating this proposal. Anchor bolt cage assemblies shall be shipped prior to
shipment of any poles. All attachments and hardware for each pole shall be shipped with
that pole.
E. Drawing Identification: All drawings shall be identified with a unique drawing number,
the date, the manufacturer’s shop order number, the owner’s name, the owner’s purchase
order number, and the name of the transmission line where the poles will be installed.
F. Approval Drawings: The owner shall have an opportunity to approve the design,
features and accessories of poles prior to fabrication. Approval drawings shall contain
sufficient information to confirm all data that was included in the proposal, including
equipment descriptive information, and any appropriate comments or notations at or
before the time stated in the proposal. The owner will return drawings marked
"approved" or "revise as noted". If changes are identified in the owner’s review, a
revised drawing submittal may, at the owner’s option, be required to obtain final
approval. This paragraph is not intended to prevent electronic drawing review and
approval methods provided that both parties agree on the approach and the objectives of
review and approval are met and documented.
G. Guarantee: The supplier shall guarantee that all steel and hardware furnished shall be
free from defects in materials, workmanship, and shall give successful service under the
specified operating conditions. The supplier shall also agree upon notice from the owner
to promptly and without charge, and to the satisfaction of the owner make such changes,
repairs, replacements, corrections, etc. which may be required to make good any defect
discovered for a minimum period of twelve (12) months from the date of completion of
steel installation or twenty-four (24) months from the date of delivery, whichever comes
first.
The manufacturer shall respond to and provide a solution to all issues within three work
days of being notified when DME or its contractor discovers fabrication errors. If
replacement parts are required, they shall be provided within five (5) work days of
determination of the required solution.
H. New Materials: Only new materials shall be used in fabrication of the steel structures.
Damaged or defective materials shall not be repaired and used. No peening, caulking,
or filling shall be permitted in repairing cracks, pinholes, or blowholes. Such defects in
fabricated steel shall be repaired by chipping out welds to the bottom of the vee and re-
welding.
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I. Manufacturing Inspection: The owner shall have the right to inspect the work on, and
materials for, the steel at all reasonable times. Such inspections shall be at no additional
cost to the owner. Inspections, with or without comment, shall not relieve the supplier
of the requirement for conformance to the specification nor shall they be construed as
acceptance of work not in accordance with the intent of this specification.
J. Shipment and Delivery: Steel and other hardware purchased under this agreement shall
be shipped by open flatbed truck to the delivery locations specified by DME. Rail
shipments will not be accepted. All shipments shall be FOB to the destinations in
Denton, Texas with freight prepaid and allowed as a part of the proposal price. Where
size prohibits shipping complete assemblies, the equipment shall be shop assembled,
fitted, match marked, if appropriate, then dismantled for shipping. Bolts and small items
shall be shop assembled, fitted, match marked, if appropriate, then dismantled for
shipping. Bolts and small items shall be containerized for shipment. Containers shall be
marked with the pole number for which the contents are to be used. Cardboard boxes
are not acceptable containers. Instructions with the drawings shall provide information
about how and where all hardware is to be attached to the pole.
1. Unloading: DME, or its contractor, will unload all material at the respective delivery
sites. The supplier shall be responsible for all remedies for damage caused to the
material during shipment.
2. Delivery locations: The owner has to establish staging areas where the poles can be
stored. Delivery location will be specified prior to shipping. The owner reserves the
right to change the delivery location(s) up to the time of arrival. Because DME’s
service territory is within a limited geographic area in and around the City of Denton,
no allowance will be made for change of delivery location.
3. Shipping Documents: The preliminary name and telephone number of the owner’s
representative for material receipts will be confirmed after the order is placed. This
information will be updated near the time shipments are scheduled. The manufacturer
shall furnish copies of packing slips to the owner (by email) showing the purchase
order number, date shipped, forecast delivery date and time, and content of each
shipment.
4. Delivery Notices: Because of the size of the steel poles, coordination will be
necessary to insure that equipment and personnel are available for unloading. The
manufacturer shall provide notices 10 days, and again 3 days prior to the shipping
dates. The manufacturer shall also provide notice to the owner on the actual shipping
date. Manufacturer or truck drivers shall provide notice at least 24 hours prior
to any expected delivery. The planned primary contact for notice of shipments
is Lee Reddin, who can be reached at (806)-790-9474; email address:
LReddin@sgseng.com The secondary contact is Sam Bridges at (940) 390-6279;
email address: sam.bridges@cityofdenton.com. Email notices prior to shipments
shall include information that provides specific pole numbers being delivered and the
specific weights of all pieces in order to insure appropriate unloading equipment is
available. Any delays that result from failure of the manufacturer or driver to provide
the required advance notices will be the responsibility of the supplier.
5. Delivery of the steel and other hardware will be accepted only between the hours
of 8:30 am and 2:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The base
proposal shall include the cost for the delivery truck to wait until DME unloads the
steel.
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6. Damaged or defective material: Freight that is obviously damaged on arrival will
be refused. Any necessary action regarding replacement of materials for unacceptable
condition shall be the responsibility of the supplier, including concealed freight
damage. The supplier shall be fully responsible for all action necessary for repair or
replacement of such damage in a timely manner.
IV. DESIGN STANDARDS
All steel structures shall be manufactured to meet or exceed the clearances and other
requirements in the latest revision of all USA standards that are applicable to galvanized steel
structure manufacture. Applicable standards shall include at least those of ASTM, NEMA,
IEEE, and ANSI. In the event that the owner, in this specification, has incorrectly referenced
a standard or a requirement, test, or test value contained in a standard, such an error shall not
relieve the manufacturer of the requirement to comply with the standard or to perform tests
properly and in the manner prescribed in the applicable standards.
The materials shall conform to the latest issue of the following ASTM Specifications and the
requirements of Section VI. C and others later in this specification:
A. Structural Steel Pipe & Tubes – A-53.A-500, Grade B
B. Structural Steel Shapes, Plates, Channels, Angles – A-36
C. High Strength Bolts– A-F3125
D. Heavy Hex & Nuts – A-563, Grade C
E. Flat Washers – F-436
V. STEEL POLE DETAILED SPECIFICATION
A. This portion of the specification covers the drawings, material, design, fabrication, and
protective coating of welded, tapered, tubular steel structures used in overhead
transmission and distribution lines. The reference to specifications of organizations
(such as ASTM) together with any drawings and loading assumptions contained in those
specifications shall be considered as part of this specification. This includes Exhibit 4 –
the steel pole drawings.
B. Drawings:
1. The supplier shall furnish drawings and instructions necessary that fully describe
the structures and provide all necessary information for proper storage, assembly,
lifting and installation.
2. After receipt of the purchase order, and in accordance with the time stated in the
proposal delivery schedule, the successful supplier shall submit to the purchaser a
set of all erection and detail drawings comprising the order, for approval.
Submittals, approvals, revisions, and correspondence shall be transmitted by
electronic or hard copy method as mutually agreed upon according to Section III.
F. Approval Drawings, above. Purchaser shall notify the supplier with indication
of approval or of the corrections necessary. Where a correction is required, revised
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drawings shall be plainly marked "Revised" and dated, and sent to the purchaser for
review. All design and detail drawings shall be approved by the owner, and written
notice given of such approval, before fabrication.
3. The supplier shall be responsible for the correctness of dimensions and details of
the drawings. The review of such drawings will not relieve the supplier of this
responsibility.
4. All final drawings and other documentation shall be furnished in electronic format
to the owner upon completion of design and no later than the shipping date of the
structures.
5. Final drawings shall also be transmitted to the owner in AutoCAD format via email
or FTP site.
6. All drawings shall be identified with a unique drawing number, the date, the
manufacturer’s shop order number, the owner’s name, the owner’s purchase order
number, and the name of the transmission line where the poles will be installed.
C. General:
1. All poles shall be tapered tubular, galvanized steel. The supplier shall provide
holes, brackets, vangs, steel arms, and other types of fittings for attachment of lines
and other hardware to the structures as shown on the drawings. The drawings, load
trees and other design information are incorporated as Exhibit 4. The supplier shall
provide vangs and other fittings welded to poles for transmission and distribution
switches and for attachment of insulators, lines, arms, accessories, switch operating
rods, etc., to the structures as shown on the drawings.
2. All poles shall have ground pads welded to the top of the pole for static grounding,
one just above ground line for attachment of a grounding conductor, at least one
ground pad for grounding the distribution circuit neutral(s), and other ground pads
as shown on the drawings. Poles that are designed for installation of switches shall
have grounding means for attaching switch handle ground straps and jumpers.
Switch manufacturers may require additional ground pads to be provided at specific
locations on the pole.
3. Ground pads shall be provided for grounding distribution neutrals on all poles
designed for distribution circuits. Ground pads shall be provided on poles below
the arm positions for distribution underbuild. Steel distribution arms shall have
ground pads for arrestors and switches. Where steel arms are required, grounding
may be on steel arms for arrestors and switches. Grounding attachments are
required on all poles to allow for installation of grounds for riser hardware and
arresters. Arresters will be placed at all risers, at all deadends, and on both sides of
all distribution switches.
4. Embedded steel poles shall be treated with a coal-tar epoxy coating from 2’-0”
above ground line to the butt of the pole. In addition, a ground sleeve is required
on embedded poles that extends from 1’-6” below the ground line to 1’-6” above
the ground line.
5. When possible, poles shall be fabricated in one piece. The number of sections per
pole and design of pole section joints and locations relative to pole loads will be a
consideration for this proposal.
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6. The supplier shall provide all bolts, nuts, washers and other hardware necessary for
complete field assembly of items that must be attached to the poles including bolts
for attaching grounds.
D. Material:
All material supplied shall conform to ASTM A-6, latest revision, General
Requirements for Delivery of Rolled Steel Plates, Shapes, Sheet Piling and Bars for
Structural Use unless herein modified. All material furnished shall be shown to meet
an impact property of 15 foot pounds at -20 degrees Fahrenheit in the longitudinal
direction using the Charpy "V" Notch Test. The test procedure shall be in accordance
with ASTM A-370, latest revision Mechanical Testing of Steel Products. The required
impact property assessment shall be determined based on an average of three (3) tests
with no single test below 10 foot pounds. The location of the test sample will be as
prescribed in ASTM A-673, latest revision Sampling Procedure for Impact Testing of
Structural Steel. The criteria of 15 foot pounds at -20 degrees Fahrenheit is based on
full size test specimens. For subsize specimens the dimensions and values to be used
shall be in accordance with ASTM A-673, latest revision. All tests will be performed on
specimens taken from plate after all rolling and finishing operations have been
completed. Heat lot testing (frequency "H") shall meet the requirements of ASTM A-
673, latest revision.
1. Galvanized Steel: Materials used for galvanized steel structures and components
shall conform to ASTM A-572, latest revision entitled High Strength, Low Alloy,
Columbium-Vanadium Steels of Structural Quality, Grade 65, modified for
thickness and chemistry to obtain the requirements outlined in the “GENERAL”
section above and to limit silicon content to 0.06%.
2. Base Plates: Materials used to construct galvanized steel base plates shall conform
to ASTM A-572, latest revision entitled High Strength, Low Alloy, Columbium-
Vanadium Steels of Structural Quality, Grade 60, A-588 or A-633, modified to
provide a minimum yield strength of 60 ksi.
3. Anchor Bolts: Material shall conform to ASTM A-615, grade 75 Standard
Specification for Deformed and Plain Carbon Steel Bars for Concrete
Reinforcement, with a minimum yield strength of 75 ksi. The reinforcing bars shall
meet the following chemical requirements:
a. Carbon: .23/.32
b. Manganese: .90/1.50
c. Phosphorus: .04 max.
d. Sulfur: .05 max.
e. Silicon: .30 max.
f. Nickel: .50/.90
g. Vanadium: .02/.10
h. Copper: .20/.40
i. Chromium: .40/.80%
Reinforcing bars shall be normalized, holding at temperature long enough to ensure
uniform heat distribution throughout its mass, and then cooled in still air in a uniform
manner. The thread area plus 6 inches of the bolts shall be hot dipped galvanized
according to ASTM A-123, latest revision, or metalized according to AWS C2.2-
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67T. Nuts for anchor bolts shall conform to ASTM-563, latest revision Carbon
and Alloy Steel Nuts. Anchor bolt nuts shall have a proof load equal to or greater
than the yield strength of the anchor bolt.
4. Attachment Bolts, Nuts and Locknuts: All bolts shall conform to ASTM A-354,
Grade BC, A-354, Grade BD, or A-F3125. Bolt material shall be comparable to
ASTM A-871 with corrosion and atmospheric resistant properties. Bolts shall be
hot dip galvanized per ASTM A-153. Nuts shall conform to ASTM A-l94, grade 2,
galvanized and tapped .020 inch oversize for pitch and major diameter only. ANCO
type locknuts shall be furnished on bolts with a diameter over 1". Purchaser will
supply a MF locknut for bolts with a diameter of 1" or less. A 5 percent excess
quantity of bolts, nuts, flat washers, and locknuts over the quantity actually required
shall be furnished for field assembly of the structures.
5. Reports and Test Samples: A copy of the certified mill test report for all steels and
evidence as to the capability of the steel to meet the impact properties of Section D.
Material, above shall be submitted to the owner upon request. Sufficient record
keeping procedures shall be required to demonstrate to the owner’s complete
satisfaction that all materials for base plates, arms, and pole shafts are traceable to
the mill heat numbers shown on the mill test reports. The manufacturer shall retain
a file of such reports for a minimum of 6 years.
E. Design:
Unless otherwise specified, structures provided by the supplier shall conform to NEMA
TT-1, ASCE Design of Steel Transmission Pole Structures, Second Edition, and the
requirements hereinafter stated. The overall strength shall be in accordance with
drawings and loading assumptions contained in the load trees and drawings. The
maximum unit stress shall be the minimum yield strength for the minimum yield strength
for the particular application and type of load. The purchaser may require a full scale
test of any structure.
1. Material Properties:
a. The design must address the following for all tubular members:
i.Tension stress
ii.Compression stress
iii.Local buckling
iv.Shear stress
v.Bending stress
vi.Combined stress
b. The design must address the following for all connection components:
i. Tensile stress
ii. Shear in bending connections
iii. Combined stress
c. The yield stress, Fy, the ultimate (tensile) strength, Fu, and the modulus of
elasticity, E, are to be determined according to ASTM A-370. The modulus of
elasticity for steel is considered to be 29,000 ksi.
d. The tensile strength, proof load and yield stress are to be determined according
to the ASTM specification for the materials involved.
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e. Members subjected to compressive forces should be checked for general stability
and local buckling tendencies.
f. Care must be taken to distribute loads sufficiently to protect the pole wall against
local failure. Slip joints, arm to pole connections, and abrupt changes in
member's cross section or longitudinal axis are points of susceptibility. It is
recommended that details and practices proven by testing be used.
2. Minimum Thickness: Structural member thickness shall not be less than 3/16
inches.
3. Connection Plates:
a. In general, vangs, flanges and other attachment plates should be designed to meet
the allowable stresses from the American Institute of Steel Construction,
Specification for the Design and Erection of Structural Steel for Buildings,
increased by a factor of 1.67.
b. Pin connections are ones in which the attachments are free to rotate about at least
one axis while under load. Based on this definition, single bolt framing
connections and insulator or guy shackle attachments are considered to be pin
connections and should be sized to meet these requirements.
4. Arm Connections: The arm connection shall be an arm box and bracket connection
as shown on the detail drawings in the appendices. This connection is required to
prevent stress concentrations in the shaft wall. The mounting bolts shall go through
the entire width of the bracket. A flange type arm connection will not be accepted.
5. Structural Calculations and Data: The structural calculations shall be the
responsibility of the manufacturer. Calculations and data shall be submitted to the
owner with the proposal and shall include (for those sections applicable):
a. General dimensions of all component parts of structure and anchor bolts.
b. The total ultimate moments, moment of inertia provided, and the w/t for
polygonal and D/t for round cross sections, at all splices and at least every twenty
feet along the pole. Pole sections made up of multiple plies will not be accepted.
c. Secondary Bending - The poles shall be designed to resist, in addition to all other
loads and their appropriate overloads, the effect of deflection on all vertical loads
including the dead load of the pole.
d. Structure and anchor bolt weight along with unit and extended prices for each
(listed separately).
e. Bending, axial and torsional stresses on structure members.
f. Boxes: Type, size, and number of bolts in each connection. Five percent (5%)
extra of each size mounting bolt, nut, and washer shall be furnished unless
otherwise specified in order.
6. Final Structural Calculations: Final structural calculations shall be submitted to
the owner before fabrication commences, and shall include, in addition to the
previously mentioned items:
a. The total ultimate moments, moment of inertia of section furnished, and stress
at the connection of the arms.
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b. Stresses in base plates, connections, attachments, and anchor bolts.
c. Maximum deflection at top of the structure for loading cases as specified
elsewhere.
7. Cross Section: The cross section of welded steel tubular members shall be round,
regular polygonal with a minimum of eight sides, or elliptical. I elliptical, the
minimum ratio of the minor axis to the major axis shall be 0.75 to 1.00.
8. Anchor Bolts:
a. The supplier shall design anchor bolt cages as detailed in Exhibit 4. Include
assembly weight along with unit price for each.
b. Anchor bolts shall be pre-clustered in order that they may be shipped and placed
in the foundation as one unit without additional reinforcement. Cages shall be
designed in such a way that there is no welding on the anchor bolt. Designs with
welding on the bottom 6” of bolts will be accepted. Anchor bolts shall be
arranged so that they are symmetrical in the transverse and longitudinal
direction, allowing the cage to be rotated 90 degrees relative to the pole. Bracket
and bracing projection beyond the bolt circle shall be kept to a minimum. Unless
otherwise specified, anchor bolt clusters shall be furnished with extended anchor
bolts for the full depth of the footing in accordance with the “A/B Length”
column in the spreadsheet in the Proposal forms. The minimum clear distance
between adjacent anchor bolts within cage is 5 inches. Amended anchor bolt
lengths will be provided to manufacturer following receipt of structure
foundation designs. The use of plates establishing shear planes to attain rigidity
will not be accepted. Anchor bolts shall include three (3) nuts on the top of cage
for leveling and locking. Final cage design shall be approved by the purchaser.
9. Deflection:
a. Unless otherwise noted, steel poles designed for eccentric loading or line angles
shall be shop cambered or field raked to counteract the eccentric loads or line
tensions and to remain plumb. The maximum pole top deflection at everyday
loading conditions (60°F, no wind) shall be limited to 1% of the above ground
height. The maximum pole top deflection for cambered poles shall be limited to
3% of the above ground height, before shop cambering. Pole deflection
limitations assume 0 degree foundation rotation.
b. The maximum pole deflection under critical transverse loading with (250B,
250C or 250D) load case shall not exceed 10% of the total height above ground,
including a 3 degree foundation rotation at the groundline.
c. Camber and/or Rake distance and direction detail shall be provided for each
structure and shall be clearly labeled on each structure drawing, if used.
d. All switch structures shall not exceed 2% of pole height deflection limit for any
load case and shall not be shop cambered.
10. Taper:
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a. The tubular steel pole shaft taper shall be limited to a range of 0.2-0.5 in/ft. The
pole shaft for base plated structures shall be optimized while also considering
the bolt circle for the underlying foundation.
11. Slip Joint Requirement:
Poles fabricated in one piece are preferred. Slip joints may be used if the supplier
does not have the facilities to fabricate the pole in one piece or if design
considerations require. If the supplier furnishes poles with slip joints, the supplier
shall furnish the purchaser with a jacking device to use during construction at no
additional cost to the purchaser. Slip joints must fit tightly within the proper +/-
tolerances and not have artificial stops built into the joint. The supplier shall verify
the joint fit before shipment, and furthermore, the supplier shall be responsible if
field modifications of the joint or joints are required to provide a proper fit and to
assure that the design strength is obtained. If a slip joint is utilized, a locking device
will be required if the joint might be subjected to uplift forces or if relative movement
of the joint is critical.
F. Fabrication:
1. General:
a. Workmanship and finish of all metalwork specified under this section shall be
of the highest grade and equal to the best practice of modern shops for the
respective work.
b. As a minimum, fabrication shall be in accordance with NEMA Standards
Publication TT1-1977. More stringent controls in several areas of concern are
listed in the specification and must be satisfied.
c. Bolt holes shall be located precisely to ensure that the bolts will be normal to the
plane of the connections. Bolt holes shall be made 1/16 inch larger than the
nominal diameter of the bolts. Exposed surfaces shall have smooth finish and
sharp well-defined lines. All drilled, punched, or cut edges shall be de-burred,
ground flush, or otherwise provided without torn or ragged edges. All members
shall be free from twists or bends.
2. Tolerances: Fabrication tolerances shall be as follows (for those parts applicable):
a. Length of single piece or flanged poles: ±3".
b. Cross section of poles: 36" or less diameter: -1/8", +1/4"; greater than 36"
diameter: x -1/4", +1/2"; circumference of all poles: -0”.
c. Vertical displacement between the shaft and arm connections: ±3/4”.
d. Location of hardware with respect to top of pole: ±2”.
e. Camber: ±1" per 16" of specified camber.
f. Base plate perpendicular to pole: 1/8" for 5' as measured on a perpendicular axis.
g. Straightness of pole: ±1/2" from center line.
h. Location of a drilled hole in a piece: ±1/8”.
i. Spacing between holes: Base plates ±1/8”.
j. Same connections: ± 1/16" (non-accumulative).
k. Anchor bolts: Length: +3", - 0"; thread length: +2", -0”.
l. Length of coated portion on anchor bolts: +12", -0”.
m. Distance between anchor bolt in cluster: +1/8" (non-accumulative).
n. Arms: Length: +1"; rise: +1" per 10' of arm length.
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o. Angles shown: +2 degrees.
p. Length of overlap of slip joint: +5”, -10% of slip joint l
3. Welding-General:
a. All welding should be in accordance with the latest revision of the American
Welding Society Structural Welding Code, AWS D1.1, Sections l-8 (omitting
Part B, Section 8). Welding terms and symbols should comply with the AWS
definitions and symbols.
b. Care should be exercised with respect to welding procedures, qualifications of
welders, operators and procedures, electrodes, preheat, notch toughness and
minimum yield of the electrodes to ensure conformance with the requirements
of the AWS D1.1 code.
c. Records of welding procedures and welding operator test results shall be kept
for 6 years by the supplier and shall be available for review by the purchaser.
d. All welding electrodes used for primary joints shall meet as a minimum, an
impact value of 15 foot pounds at -20 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by the
standard Charpy "V" Notch Test. They shall equal or exceed the specified
physical properties of the base metal being welded when tested with the
applicable AWS specification for welding electrodes.
e. Length of overlap of slip joint: +5”, -10% of slip joint l.
4. Welding Process:
a. Welding may be done by the by the shielded metal-arc, gas shielded flux core,
gas shielded metal-arc, or submerged-arc processes. All welding processes
should be in conformance with AWS standards and design standards.
b. Preheating shall be in accordance with the steel producer's minimum
recommendation, or as verified by testing for suitability for structural application
in accordance with Section 5. Care should be exercised with respect to welding
procedures, qualifications of welders, AWS D1.1-79.
5. Welding Joint Details: In circumferential seams and longitudinal scams in the
female slip joint area, and within 6 inches of circumferential seams, base plates and
flange plates shall be complete penetration welds.
a. Longitudinal welds other than in the clip joint area and within 3 inches of
circumferential seams shall have 80% minimum weld joint penetration.
b. Base plate, flange plate, and arm bracket joints shall be complete penetration
welds.
c. Weld joint details other than described in parts a, b, and c require owner
approval.
6. Weld Quality and Inspection:
a. Weld quality, except for penetration requirements stated in Section “5. WELD
JOINT DETAILS” immediately above shall conform to Section 8, Part D,
Article 8.15 through 8.15.2.2 of AWS D1.1 regardless of the method of welding.
Supply of Galvanized Steel Transmission Poles
Technical Specifications
RFP #7433
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b. The supplier may use any combination of inspection methods to satisfy the weld
quality requirements of part a above. He shall perform ultrasonic inspection of
all full penetration welds and visual inspection on all welds. Ultrasonic
examination methods shall be designed to assure weld quality conformance to
part a.
c. The supplier shall maintain a "Traveler" on all major components. The
"Traveler" will list material identification, welder identity, inspection results and
inspector identity. The supplier shall furnish the owner with data from certified
inspection reports upon request.
7. Marking:
a. Each pole or pole section shall be identified with an identification plate on the
base section fabricated from a non-corrosive, non-staining metal such as bronze,
brass, or aluminum. The plate shall be aligned horizontally and vertically and
shall have suitable anchors welded to the back to permit permanent bond to the
pole. The plate shall be attached to the face of the pole four feet six inches (4’6”)
above the groundline on the base section and two (2) feet above the butt end of
the top section.
b. The following information shall be stamped into the identification plate on the
base section with letters not less than one-eight (1/8) inch high.
i. Name of the Manufacturer
ii. Customer name
iii. Pole length
iv. Structure type
v. Actual pole weight
vi. Date of manufacture
vii. Purchase order number
viii. Fabrication number
ix. Structure number
x. Ground line moment
xi. GIS number (five digit numbers for each pole will be provided to the
successful supplier)
c. All component parts of a structure shall be given a distinctive mark to identify
the structure on which it is to be used and where it is to be located on that
structure. This mark shall be designed such that it will not act as a stress riser.
This applies to the anchor bolt cage, all sections of the pole, and all arms.
d. The two-point pickup location for handling the pole in the horizontal position
shall be marked on all poles in legible, durable ink, paint, or tape. These marks
shall be kept small but conspicuous.
e. Mark the bisecting line on both sides of the pole base and anchor bolt cage. A
weld line shall be used on both sides of the bolt base for marking. A v-notch cut
shall be used on both sides of the anchor bolt cage for marking.
Supply of Galvanized Steel Transmission Poles
Technical Specifications
RFP #7433
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G. Protective Coating:
1. Galvanizing
a. Structures shall be galvanized, by the hot dip process in accordance with ASTM
123, latest revision (Hot Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Products Fabricated
from rolled, Pressed, and Forged Steel Shapes, Plates, Bars, and Strips.
b. Precautions shall be taken against embrittlement, warpage, and distortion in
accordance with ASTM A143, latest revision Recommended Practice for
Safeguarding Against Embrittlement of Hot Galvanized Structural Steel
Products and Procedure for Detecting Embrittlement and in accordance with
ASTM A384, latest revision Recommended Practice for Safeguarding
Against Warpage and Distortion During Hot Dip Galvanizing of Steel
Assemblies.
c. After galvanizing and before shipment, the pole's shaft to base plate weld and
shaft to flange welds shall be ultrasonically inspected for delayed cracking. If
cracking is detected, the manufacturer is responsible for repair and re-inspection
ultrasonically after detection. Records to confirm this testing shall be provided
to the owner.
d. The galvanized coating shall be uniform when the galvanized surfaces are not to
be painted.
e. All structural steel, bolts, inserts, bracing members, miscellaneous plates, and
steel fasteners shall be hot-dip galvanized AFTER fabrication unless otherwise
specified herein or as agreed to by the owner in writing. Parts bolted together
shall be galvanized before final assembly.
2. Below Grade Coating:
The surface to be coated shall be lightly blasted with an appropriate media or
otherwise etched to assure proper adhesion of the protective coating to the galvanized
surface of the steel poles. Corrocote II Classic as manufactured by Madison
Chemical (or owner approved equal) shall be applied from 2’-0” above the ground
line for directly embedded poles to the pole butt. The minimum dry film thickness
of the coating shall be 16 mils. The below grade coating must be fully cured prior
to loading poles or pole sections for shipment.
VI. FIELD DRILLING
DME will invoice the manufacturer should it be necessary to complete more than four (4)
hours of field drilling to correct fabrication errors. Billing will be for any time required in
excess of four (4) hours.
VII. QUALITY CONTROL
A. The manufacturer shall be responsible for the quality control of the manufacturing
processes to assure that all requirements of these specifications are met. However, the
purchaser reserves the right to observe, to inspect, and to require additional quality control
investigations, either by its personnel or an independently employed quality control
Supply of Galvanized Steel Transmission Poles
Technical Specifications
RFP #7433
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investigator, at any or all stages of fabrication at the manufacturer's facilities. Failure to
adequately maintain fabrication and quality of fabrication until completion shall be
grounds for cancellation of the order or any part thereof.
B. Field failure or field repairs required due to quality control failures or manufacturing
procedures shall be the responsibility of the manufacturer.
C. When protective coated structures are specified, the purchaser will require evidence that
such have been tested as coatings specified under Section V. G. Protective Coating