A florida utility company sought to evaluate the current condition of a typical transmission structure and determine the applicability of weathering steel in the South Florida environment. The structure, a 500 kV tubular steel pole tangent suspension structure, was removed from service and dissected Visual inspections and metal thickness data were collected for the interior as well as the exterior. Results from the evaluation concluded that the transmission tower met or exceeded design expectations after 16 years of service with the exception of two identified areas of concern. Conclusions include how to avoid application problems in the design stage and how to retrofit existing structures. Weathering steels continue to be a viable option for tubular transmission structure applications because of their durability, low maintenance and reduced weights.

Subject
Steel structures, External surfaces, Steel surfaces, Materials, Active corrosion, Thickness measurement, Inspection, Oxide surfaces, Metals, Weathering, Steel, Rust, Sealers
Keywords:
weathering steel, transmission tower, corrosion, HSLA, metal thickness, drain holes, steel
© 1995 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1995
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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