[TowerTalk] Tower base

[Donald Chester]

Absolutely the WORST possible way to build a guyed tower is to set the 
bottom section in concrete.  It is far better to use a base plate with a 
pier pin in the concrete, to allow the tower base some freedom of movement 
in heavy winds.  The tower will tend to sway and twist in windstorms, but if 
the base is set in concrete, that puts an unnecessary amount of stress and 
shear on the tower structure.

Another problem is that it is nearly impossible to get the buried base 
section absolutely plumb, no matter  how carefully you measure.  And 
concrete foundations do settle with the passing of time, so with certain 
soils, the tower may not stay plumb even if it was achieved initially.

You very rarely see commercial tower installations built that way.

Don, k4kyv