Studies of Lower Part of Electric Poles to Support Electrical Distribution Networks

The goal of this research is to investigate the corrosion of the lower portion of the electric poles that support the electrical distribution networks. Microstructure and mechanical properties of two samples, (A) plate carbon steel and (B) pipe carbon steel, which are utilised in the manufacture of electrical poles, have been examined. Furthermore, samples (A', B') and (A", B") are used to study the corrosion rates in air and burred in soil respectively.
Mechanical property results show that the Vicker hardness for sample (A) is (206) and for sample (B) is (185.4). The carbon wt% for samples (A) and (B) has been validated by chemical compositional analysis to be (0.24%) and (0.30%), respectively.
The Corrosion rates (C.R.) of samples under study were tested where the values are (0.33 MPY) for sample (A') and (0.39 MPY) for sample (B') while the values are (0.45 MPY) for both samples (A") and (B").
It can be deduced from this work, the corrosion at the lower part of the electric poles due to soil moisture at the location of installation of electric pole where moisture rises to the lower part of the pole by the action of Galvanic corrosion in addition to the stresses and weight of the pole contribute to the curvature and fall of the column at this part of the electric pole.