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[Towertalk] Strength of fiberglass.

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [Towertalk] Strength of fiberglass.
From: wb9uwa@gte.net (WB9UWA Jim Shaffer)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 13:45:57 -0600
Hi All,

I am designing a VHF yagi array and strongly considering using fiberglass
for the booms. Does anyone have a strength rating for fiberglass that is
useful
to the layman? For example, if  10 feet of 1/2" solid rod fiberglass is held
horizontal,
how many pounds of weight would cause the end of the rod to deflect 1 foot
(stiffness rating)?
Also, and probably of greater importance, because even PVC can be guyed
if done properly, how much weight at the end of this pole does it take to
cause
catastropic failure of the fiberglass (yeild strength)? I have heard stories
of fiberglass antennas
bending way over in the wind and recovering fully. This is the sort of low
windload
design I have in mind. I have some industry standard numbers for fiberglass,
but they
are not something that I can make sense of. The strength rating is something
like 30,000 PSI.

73, Jim Shaffer, WB9UWA.


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