Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] stretched EHS

To: "towertalk@contesting.com" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] stretched EHS
From: Al Kozakiewicz <akozak@hourglass.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2022 00:08:38 +0000
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Caveat - not an expert here.

Steel wire is often stretched to increase its tensile strength at the expense 
of elasticity. I do not know if EHS is normally prestressed. If it is, then you 
would probably want to replace it. FWIW, 0.5' over 330' is like 0.15% which 
seems to be in the range of the amount of stretch administered for prestressed 
cables, depending on the cable design.

I think this is an example where no "real" engineering is done. Towers are 
designed using tables to select materials that provide a large margin of error. 
This isn’t aerospace design where a system is designed to simultaneously 
minimize weight, optimize aerodynamics and maximize strength while fitting into 
a particular performance envelope.

Al
AB2ZY

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Keith Dutson
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2022 7:24 PM
To: towertalk@contesting.com; Lux, Jim <jim@luxfamily.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] stretched EHS

 I would replace the wire.  EHS is not stretchable, so no doubt it was damaged.
73, Keith NM5G
    On Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 06:04:49 PM CDT, Lux, Jim 
<jim@luxfamily.com> wrote:  
 
 On 10/12/22 3:24 PM, Steve Maki wrote:
> I should have mentioned that the guy wire in question is ~330' long, 
> and elongated by ~6". I know - it's amazing that it didn't break.
>
It's a fair ways from yield (fy) to failure  (fu) for steel. I don't know the 
alloy here, but looking over a table, it looks like fu is 10% higher than fy 
for most of the "high strength" steels.


EHS 3/8" seems to be 15,400 lb breaking strength.



> -Steve K8LX
>
> On 10/12/2022 2:29 PM, Steve Maki wrote:
>> I have a question for the materials crew here. I'm writing up a job 
>> report.
>>
>> Our crew went to a site where a huge tree had fallen on the two lower 
>> guys of a 360' tower. We carefully (well as carefully as we could) 
>> slacked off & disconnected one wire at a time, threw it over the 
>> tree, and reconnected it. At that point the site was ready for the 
>> tree crew to come.
>>
>> It was obvious that one of the wires (3/8" EHS) had stretched a few 
>> inches. There were enough unused threads in the turnbuckle to enable 
>> a good snug wire again.
>>
>> I'm recommending that the guy wire be replaced, but was wondering how 
>> much strength in roundabout numbers is lost in this scenario?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> -Steve K8LX
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>

_______________________________________________



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



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



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>