4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The design, fabrication, processes, tolerances, and inspection of poles shall conform to the following:

4.1.1 Pole designs shall be prepared from the attached configuration drawings, design loads and strength requirements for the standard class poles. Poles shall be designed by the ultimate strength method as explained in ACI 318. The point-of-fixity shall be considered to be located at a distance from the pole butt which is equal to 7% of the pole length. The pole shall be symmetrically designed such that the strength required in any one direction shall be required in all directions about the longitudinal axis. The poles shall be uniform taper from tip to butt.

4.1.2 Using the corresponding values in Table 1, the poles shall be designed for the following requirements as illustrated by Figure 1:

a. The reinforcing steel shall begin at the pole tip and the pole shall develop the minimum ultimate moment capacity required in Table 1 at a distance of five feet from the pole tip;

b. The pole shall develop the minimum ultimate moment capacity along the pole to the point-of-fixity which is calculated by multiplying the tip load in Table 1 by the distance from the tip load;

c. The reinforcing steel required at the point-of-fixity shall continue to the pole butt.

4.1.3 The poles shall be designed to withstand the specified tip loading without exceeding a pole deflection of 15 percent of the pole height above the point of fixity when tested under short term loading conditions in accordance with the horizontal test procedures described in the Guide for the Design of Prestressed Concrete Poles (ACSE/PCI Joint Committee on Concrete Poles).

4.1.4 The poles shall be designed to withstand 40 percent of the specified tip loading without exceeding a pole deflection of
5 percent of the pole height above the point of fixity when tested under long term loading conditions in accordance with the horizontal test procedures described in the Guide for the Design of Prestressed Concrete Poles (ACSE/PCI Joint Committee on Concrete Poles).

4.1.5 Poles shall be designed so that the cracking strength of the pole exceeds 40 percent of the required ultimate strength.

4.1.6 Poles shall be designed so that the zero tension strength of the pole exceeds 28 percent of the required ultimate strength.

4.1.7 Poles shall be designed to withstand a one-point (tilting) pickup during erection. The poles shall be designed for two-point pickup for horizontal handling. Poles shall be designed for the loads generated from handling and erecting without exceeding the cracking moment capacity of the poles.

4.1.8 The pole design shall include allowances for loads from handling, transportation and erection without failure, permanent deformation, or damage to the pole when handled according to the manufacturer's instructions. (See Section 6.1)

4.1.9 The design of each pole shall be performed using the applicable codes and standards listed in Section 3 of this specification.

4.1.10 Pole design and design calculations shall be the responsibility of the manufacturer.

4.2.2 All anchors and inserts provided by the manufacturer shall be hot dip galvanized or noncorrosive material. Cadmium-plated and aluminum material shall not be used. All inserts shall be noncorrosive materials designed and manufactured for the intended purpose and used according to manufacturer's recommendations. If the manufacturer considers lifting devices necessary or desirable, suitable flush inserts may be cast into the pole with removable lifting attachments.

4.2.3 The concrete shall have a minimum 28-day compressive strength of 5,000 psi with a maximum water-cement ratio of 0.40. Higher strengths and lower water-cement ratios are encouraged and may be necessary to offset steel cover requirements.

4.2.4 The cement shall be either Type I, II, III, or V Portland cement conforming to ASTM C150.

4.2.5 Fine aggregate shall be a natural sand, consisting of clean, strong, hard, durable uncoated particles conforming to ASTM C33, and all specifications included therein. The aggregate shall be well graded from No. 4 to No. 200 sieve. Deleterious substances shall not comprise more than 5 percent of the sample.

4.2.6 Coarse aggregate shall be clean, tough, crushed stone conforming to ASTM C33, and all specifications included therein. The aggregate shall be well graded from a 3/4 inch to a No. 8 sieve with no more than 5 percent of the sample passing through a No. 8 sieve. Deleterious substance content shall not exceed 5 percent of the sample. Resistance to abrasion shall not exceed 40 percent as tested in conformance with ASTM C131. Absorption shall be less than 4 percent or aggregate shall be saturated with water prior to use in concrete.

4.2.7 Aggregate shall be tested in accordance with ASTM C289 to determine an alkali-aggregate reaction. Crushed rock or partially crushed rock shall be the source of the aggregate.

4.2.8 Water shall be clean, free from undesirable amounts of oils, acids, alkalis, salts, organic materials, or other deleterious substances.

4.2.9 Admixtures shall conform to ASTM C494. Air entraining admixtures can be used if approved by the owner. Admixtures shall not contain chloride ions in quantities that would cause the total chloride content of the concrete to exceed 0.4 pound per cubic yard.

4.2.10 Prestressing steel mechanical properties, reinforcing steel and spiral reinforcement shall be in accordance with the applicable ASTM specifications listed in Section 3 of this specification.

4.2.11 Concrete mix design requirements listed above can be altered with the owner's approval.

4.3.1 The pole shall be circular in cross section and the diameter, as measured at any location on the pole, shall not vary by more than 1/4 inch from any other measurement taken on that cross section.

4.3.2 The pole shall have a uniform taper from top to butt.

4.3.3 Deviation of the pole from straightness is allowed in one plane and one direction only. A straight line joining the edge of the pole at the butt and the edge of the pole at the top shall not be further from the surface of the pole at any point by more than the accumulated value of 0.25 inches for each 10 feet of length between the two ends. The detensioning operation shall be performed in a manner to keep the prestressing forces symmetrical.

4.3.4 Prestressing steel stress limits shall not exceed:

1. 80 percent of the ultimate strength or 94 percent of the yield strength or the maximum value recommended by the manufacturer of prestressing steels or anchorages for jacking force;
   
2. 74 percent of the ultimate strength or 82 percent of the yield strength immediately after prestress transfer; and
   
3. 70 percent of the ultimate strength for post-tensioned steel at anchorages and couplers immediately after anchorage.

4.3.5 Spiral reinforcement shall cover the entire pole length. The minimum clear spacing of spiral reinforcement in the top 2 feet and bottom 2 feet of the pole shall be 4/3 of the maximum coarse aggregate or three times the strand diameter, whichever is larger, but not less than one inch. The maximum clear spacing for the remainder of the pole shall not exceed 4 inches.

4.3.6 Clear distance between prestressing steel strands shall be either 4/3 times the maximum aggregate size or 3 times the strand diameter, whichever is larger. In the event that this condition is not met at the pole tip, closer spacing would be permitted provided that the placement of concrete can be accomplished satisfactorily, adequate stress transfer can take place, and appropriate provisions are used for maintaining spacing between the prestressing steel strands.

4.3.7 The manufacturer shall provide holes through each pole as specified on the pole framing drawing(s), included as
Attachment A. Preformed holes shall be cast using rigid PVC inserts (or other suitable material) held firmly in place. Plugs may be used with the owner's approval. Preformed inserts shall be sized for the specified hole diameter and shall be full length of pole diameter for all through holes. Unless otherwise noted on the drawings, holes shall be perpendicular to and pass through the centerline of the pole.

4.3.8 The pole manufacturer shall provide preformed inserts at two locations to allow air circulation within the pole. Inserts shall be 1 inch minimum diameter and shall have a louvered opening. The inserts shall be located within 10 feet of the tip and within 10 feet above the groundline.

4.3.9 Holes may not be drilled through the pole wall, except as specifically necessary to correct errors or omissions and only if approved by the owner.

4.3.10 The longitudinal steel shall not be cut for any reason unless approved by the owner. The owner may reject any pole in which the longitudinal steel is cut. All exposed steel resulting from drilled holes shall be covered with an epoxy paste per ASTM C881 Type III. Areas with moderate or severe spalling shall be cleaned and reformed with an epoxy paste or epoxy concrete per ASTM C881 Type II.

4.3.11 The owner shall have the right to reject any pole in which the performance of a bolted connection may be reduced due to the lack of a cleanly preformed or drilled hole.

Manufacturing tolerances shall be limited to the following:

4.5.1 An external pole ground wire shall be used. Threaded inserts for attaching ground wire clips that hold the external ground wire shall be sized and positioned per the attached drawings.

4.5.2 Except for bonding of the steel tendons, there shall be no internal pole grounds. A minimum of one longitudinal steel strand shall be bonded electrically to a threaded bronze insert at the top and bottom of the pole. Each bond shall be located within the top 2 feet of the pole top and at 4 feet above groundline (See Attachment A). For spliced poles an additional bond shall be provided above and below the splice to a threaded bronze insert within 24 inches of the splice. Steel splice sections shall have the appropriate number of grounding attachments. This bonding system shall be noncorrosive and shall be approved by the owner.

4.5.3 If required by the owner, manufacturer shall provide ground wire clamps for all ground wire attachments.

4.6.1 Clips for removable ladders shall begin not closer than 3 feet above ground for a direct embedded pole and extend to the top of the pole. Each ladder clip shall be designed to support a minimum 1,000 lb. shear working load. Ladder clips shall be located to avoid interference between ladders and other attachments.

4.6.2 Removable step bolts shall be provided with spacing as indicated beginning 8 feet above groundline and extending to the structure top. Each step lug and step bolt shall be capable of withstanding a minimum of a 500 lb. working load. Step bolt mounting nuts shall be spaced at 1 foot 6 inch intervals and oriented to provide maximum ease of climbing.

4.7.1 Inserts shall be made of materials which will not deteriorate in the environment in which they are placed. The insert shall be made of materials that will not react unfavorably with the concrete or fasteners. The insert shall not be made of materials that will corrode and stain the concrete.

4.7.2 Inserts shall not fail before the pole reaches ultimate strength, unless permitted by the owner.

4.8.1 There shall be a minimum of 3/4 inch of clear concrete cover over all longitudinal reinforcement and all spiral

reinforcement as a result of the concrete spinning process. Poles not meeting this requirement shall be rejected except as allowed by Section 4.8.2.

4.8.2 There shall be a minimum specified wall thickness of 2.5 inches of spun concrete at all points along the pole.

4.8.2.1 An actual wall thickness of less than 2.5 inches of spun concrete may be allowed from the pole tip to 3 feet below the pole tip provided the cover requirements of Section 4.8.1 are met in the spinning process and provided the pole can meet all other requirements of the specifications.

4.8.2.2 The owner shall, as soon as possible, be notified of any poles with less than 3/4 inch of spun concrete inside cover within 3 feet of the pole tip. At the owner's sole discretion, the owner may reject the pole or may allow the pole to be repaired by swabbing the interior with an epoxy liner (per ASTM C881 - Type V, Class B or C) and plugging with 3,000 psi. concrete to the owner's satisfaction to a distance of 42 inches from the tip. No pole shall be plugged or considered for acceptance by the owner unless assurance is made by the manufacturer that the repaired pole can meet all requirements of this specification.

4.9.1 Flange-bolted or slip-joint type of splices are permitted. When required, flange-bolted type splice shall be used at guyed structures.

4.9.2 The reinforcing steel and connection apparatus comprising the splice shall be properly anchored as part of the pole. The pole shall be designed to fail before the splice fails by yielding of the splice steel.

4.9.3 The axis of the pole shall not be distorted after the pole is mated. Shims shall not be used to straighten the pole unless approved by the owner. The owner reserves the right to reject a pole based on the improper mating of a pole splice.

4.10.1 Appurtenance material shall be supplied by the owner. The owner shall also provide the manufacturer of the connectors and/or members with the locations, orientations, sizes, types, and strength capacities of the appurtenances.

4.10.2 The concrete pole manufacturer is responsible for the proper design coordination and fit up of all appurtenance connections and members to the pole(s). Manufacturer shall notify owner if any appurtenance material supplied by owner will not result in properly designed structure.

4.11.1 The surface of the pole shall have a smooth finish with no unsealed cracks. Cracks shall be sealed either by use of an epoxy injection system following the epoxy manufacturer's specifications, or by V-notching the crack on a 1:1 slope to a minimum depth of 1/4 inch, then filling the V-notch with an epoxy seal per ASTM C881 Type IV. Covering the crack with an epoxy coating is not allowed.

4.11.2 Small cavities caused by air bubbles, honeycomb spots, or other small voids, shall be cleaned thoroughly, saturated with water and then carefully pointed with a cement mortar. A small cavity is defined as one not larger than 1/2 inch in diameter or deeper than 1/4 inch.

4.11.3 If any cavities or voids absorb water which indicate the void extends into wall of the pole, then the pole shall be rejected.

4.11.4 The manufacturer shall seal both ends of the pole and protect the steel strands from corrosion using a suitable epoxy. The system used shall be approved by the owner.

4.11.5 The center void at the top end of the pole shall be sealed with a minimum 6 inch thick 1000 psi strength concrete plug and the pole tip capped. The pole tip cap shall be a suitable epoxy-aggregate mortar securely bonded to the pole, or shall be a metal or polymer cap securely held in place with set screws. Sharp edges shall be tooled to form smooth, chamfered corners. The manufacturer shall assure that the capping method will prevent weather intrusion into the pole and prevent pole tip deterioration.

4.11.6 The center void at the bottom end of the pole shall be sealed with a minimum 12 inch thick 1000 psi strength concrete plug. The plug shall be securely bonded to the pole and shall be tooled to form a smooth, uniform bearing surface. A PVC formed hole shall be provided in the center of the plug to allow for drainage.

4.11.7 Where application of epoxy-aggregate mortar is specified, the surface of the pole where the mortar is to be applied shall first be coated with the epoxy coating. This coating shall be allowed to cure to a tacky, but not hardened state, before the mortar is applied. After the mortar has been applied and allowed to cure for 24 hours, a top coat of epoxy coating, 5 mil thick, shall be applied over the mortar and the surrounding area of the pole.

4.12.1 Each pole shall be identified with the manufacturer's identification plate. The following information shall be stamped into the plate with letters not less than 1/4 inch in height:

• Manufacturer's name
• Day, month, and year of manufacture
• Structure number
• Length and class of pole
• Ultimate moment capacity at groundline
• Pole framing designation (per framing guide) or pole type
• Owner's name

4.12.2 The manufacturer's identification plate shall be fabricated from a noncorrosive, nonstaining metal such as bronze, brass, Series 300 stainless steel, or an aluminum alloy that will not react unfavorably with concrete. The plate shall have suitable anchor or anchors welded to the back of the plate to permit bonding to the pole.

4.12.3 The identification information listed above may be cast into the surface of each pole. These marks shall be at least 3/4 inch in height and 1/8 inch deep.

4.12.4 The identification plate or cast in-place markings shall be located on an in-line face of the pole in the direction of the transmission line. The bottom of the identification plate or last line of the cast in-place markings shall be located five feet above the defined groundline.

4.12.5 Each pole shall be marked with the information listed below. A permanent marker shall be used and the writing shall be small but legible. For spliced poles, each section shall be marked as below:

1. Support points;
   
2. Two-point pickup location for handling the pole in the horizontal position;
   
3. One-point pickup location for use in raising the pole to a vertical position and handling during the setting operation;
   
4. Pole length and class, fabrication number, structure number, and pole framing guide number on the butt of the pole; and
   
5. Cant hole locations, if required by owner.