[TowerTalk] How much concrete to set a pole? The real post

[K7LXC@aol.com]

    Sorry for the previous blank post - I'll try it again.

    I'll second the observations made by W8JI - you've got the wrong 
material. I've always gone by the 60/40 rule for elevated guys - 40% in the hole and 
60% sticking up so you've got way too much sticking out with too little bending 
resistance. (Remember your high school physics? If you have X force at one 
foot, you'll have 16X force with a 16' lever arm.)

    What you need is H-beam and for 16 feet of height you'll need a pretty 
brute size of the stuff. 

    Also the PE designed elevated anchors I've seen had some additional steel 
underground at the base of the beam. Apparently you need more anchor surface 
area to keep the beam perpendicular than you would think. 

    BTW even if you fill the round pipe with concrete, that doesn't really 
add any more bending resistance to the pipe. 

    You need to pow-wow with an enginer to get the design details worked out.

Cheers,
Steve   K7LXC
TOWER TECH --
Professional tower services for commercial and amateur
Cell: 206-890-4188