Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] My first tower section is not plumb...

To: towertalk <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] My first tower section is not plumb...
From: Steve Maki <lists@oakcom.org>
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2016 23:43:06 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Douglas,

Oh boy, at the risk of getting all the engineers and lawyers and would-be's in a dander, I'll suggest this - with the caveats that I don't really know what kind of tower sections you have other than your description that it's equivalent to Rohn 25. And I don't know whether you have an informed inherent feel for how much lateral stress your tower can handle.

But if I had 30' of *guyed* Rohn 25 sticking out of 1/2 cu. yd of concrete at a slight angle and for some reason absolutely needed to make it plumb, I'd do this:

1) I'd rig up a ratchet binder (come-along) or 2 in the appropriate direction(s) attached to to the top of the bottom section (10' or 15' up) and anchored out to solid attachment point(s).

2) I'd dig out all the way around the foundation.

3) I'd loosen the guy(s) in the direction(s) the tower is leaning.

4) I'd tighten the ratchet binder(s) to plumb the tower.

5) The best back-fill would be additional concrete all around. A *little* soupy would be best so it under-fills any new gap under the base.

6) Of course leave the ratchet binders in place and the loosened guys loosened until the new concrete is well set.

If your existing concrete is something like 2' x 2' x 3' deep, this should work. If it's a lot bigger or wider, it will be more of a problem.

Note: Personally I wouldn't worry about a little lean, but everyone has their own priorities.

Best,

-Steve K8LX

On 2/11/2016 6:51 PM, Douglas Ruz (CO8DM) wrote:

Hi,

I have been thinking and I am really want my tower straight and plumb.

I am considering digging out some side of the base to adjust the tower
level.

Any tips or thoughts ???

Can I just digging 2 sides or all 4 sides of tower bease???

About backfilling...what is the best add concrete again for backfilling???

what is the best method to move the base to adjust the level ??...it is
about 2000 pounds base.

Thanks in advance,

73....Douglas, CO8DM

If your tower is the equivalent of R25, and only 30', there's not much
you can do to it to really overstress it, unless you try real hard.

But if you really want it straight AND plumb, consider digging out the
appropriate side of the foundation and letting the the concrete adjust
itself, and then backfilling it back in.

At that point it will become what you want it to be, merely an
anti-sink device.

-Steve K8LX

_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>