Measurement of Wood Pole Strength

Polux® a New Non-Destructive Inspection Method

By: Edward Ezer Ph.D. Eng.

Senior Member IEEE

Abstract – Wood pole structures make up a getting the most service life from this
large part of utility transmission and infrastructure. In most utilities’ service
distribution networks. Loading on in-service territories, loading of poles is actually increasing
poles is increasing sometimes beyond design as the same pole is being used to carry more
limits due to additional attachments of Fiber cables and attachments for new cable TV and
Optics and Cable TV and more violent Optical communications services. While physical
weather. The paper describes a new loading of poles is being increased, more violent
technology Polux that can provide Asset storms are putting to question the standard wind
Managers with reliable objective pole loading data that was used to design existing
strength data to support maintenance and utility pole lines.
capital expenditure decisions.
The instrument integrates the groundline A practical objective method for wood pole
measurement of fiber strength and moisture strength evaluation did not exist until now. The
content of a pole with six other parameters: new Polux® technology is the first practical
species, knots, circumference, height, age and method that provides utilities with reliable
mechanical damage to calculate the Moment objective pole strength data for use in asset
of Rupture (MOR) at groundline. This MOR management decisions.
compares directly with the ANSI value to
derive a percentage loss of strength from new. II. Current Practices
Correlation of this technology with actual
pole breaking tests is better than r = 0.8. Visual inspection and grading of new wood poles
by suppliers often place utilities in the
unenviable position of buying a product that
I. Introduction carries no guarantee of performance nor does it
The deregulation of the utility industry in North have a reliable strength value when installed.
America is forcing utilities to compete for
customers. To improve their competitive edge, The National Electric Safety Code NESC (Ref 3)
utilities are cutting unnecessary costs, reducing requires that a pole be rejected when 33% of its
staff and capital budgets, while attempting to strength is lost. As new poles do not have a
improve reliability. The need to increase strength rating utilities use the nominal strength
customer satisfaction and decrease liability values given in the ANSI specifications for each
claims is leading utilities to develop species of wood poles (Ref1). These values carry
comprehensive information technology based a variance of almost 20%. Limited knowledge of
asset management programs. These programs the condition of the pole at the time of
incorporate customer cost-of-service interruption installation and when the pole is in service, has
as a major component of service reliability resulted in excessive and costly replacement and
statistics. All such programs require objective re-treatment of poles, in most cases too early and
reliable data on the condition of the utilities’ too often.
infrastructure to support maintenance and capital
expenditure decisions. The most common methods of wood pole
inspection continue to be either visual or “sound
Wood pole structures make up a large part of and bore” techniques performed by utility
utility transmission and distribution networks. An linemen or external contractors. Unfortunately,
estimate of the number of poles presently in use these tests are subjective and have been shown to
in North America is 150 million. Inspecting and be unreliable. They often result in poles being
treating these poles in a timely manner is prematurely rejected, or more importantly, leave
essential to maintaining system integrity and inadequate or hazardous poles in service.

IEEE Rural Electric Power Conference - 2001 Page 1

 there. These are: moisture, oxygen, food supply
Subjective assessments are sometimes (wood), and temperature (20° to 30° Celsius).
accompanied by objective measurements using Most of the moisture is present due to the
expensive and time-consuming sonic, X-ray or capillary action of the fibers drawing water
NMR methods. The more objective inspection upwards from the bottom of the pole to a few
techniques currently available are expensive and inches above ground where it begins to dissipate
often too complicated for widespread use. More into the atmosphere. The result is a cone of
important, the strength measurement derived wetness near the groundline. Oxygen in most soil
from their result does not correlate convincingly types is present in sufficient quantities to support
with the actual strength of the pole when the decay for only the first 18″ below groundline.
latter is tested to destruction. Hence the groundline area of 18″ below to 6″
above the ground is the most likely area for
A recent review of both objective and a initial decay to occur (Ref.4).
subjective methods of pole testing “Performance
of Utility Pole Strength Prediction Techniques” Although some poles may decay above ground
(Ref. 4) concluded that “None of the methods due to insect infestation, woodpecker or
applied in the study had sufficient correlation mechanical damage, such decay can be visually
with Pine pole breaking strength to support their noticed and the utility can quickly correct the
acceptance as a highly reliable technique for problem.
selecting poles for replacement”. The author
suggests that a “useful correlation threshold Studies have shown that the most common
should be in excess of r = 0.7, (1.0 being the reason for pole failure is groundline decay.
maximum)”.

IV. Variables that affect Pole Strength

III. Wood Aging Process Measurement
Wood remains the material of choice for use in Two main factors affect the overall strength of
poles because of its many inherent advantages, the pole:
which include climability, weight, dielectric
properties and environmental acceptability. From 1. The composite strength of the natural
the utilities’ perspective, poles made of wood are components that form the pole.
the most economical to install and maintain when 2. The decay, if any, in that reduces this natural
compared to all other materials over a forty or strength of the pole.
fifty year cycle.
Furthermore, the ability of the pole to resist the
Like any other material a wood pole starts bending moment resulting from wind loads is
deteriorating almost from the moment it is calculated as:
installed. Sometimes decay is present in the
original tree or can start early due to bad Moment =
application of the pole preservative treatment. Constant x fiberstress x Circumference 3
Obviously good quality control by the
manufacturer is important to ensure that the tree Hence the bending strength is proportional to
selection is good and that the initial preservative fiber stress and to the cube of the circumference
treatment is well applied in order to arrest or of the pole. Almost 80% to 90% of the bending
reduce the deterioration in the first number of capacity in a typical utility pole is developed in
years. However, weathering, leaching, and the the outer 2 to 3 inches of the shell. The center
biological degradation of the preservative will portion of a pole adds very little to its bending
reduce its effectiveness as time passes and decay strength (Ref.3).
will begin to deteriorate the pole. This process
could go on for 40 years or more before it begins
to compromise the load carrying capacity of the
pole. V. Structure Strength of a Pole
Decay of wood structures most often occurs at A wood pole is not a homogeneous mass of
the ground level because the four elements fibers. The pole must be looked at as a composite
necessary for the decay organisms are present

IEEE Rural Electric Power Conference - 2001 Page 2

 structure formed from longitudinal wood fibers, that are hollow except for 2 inches of sound shell
which are compressed and expanded in “rings” will theoretically retain 80% to 90% of their
according to the species and its growth pattern. original bending strength (Ref.3). The magnitude
Growth rings and their number per inch of of reduction in bending strength due to internal
circumference are the most important parameter decay is much less than from shell rot.
in determining the density of the wood; hence the Consequently, measurement of fiber stress in
circumference of the pole and a physical measure the outer shell is a major factor to consider
of the wood fiber density is crucial in arriving at when evaluating currently available
an estimate for the strength of the pole. Within instruments for wood pole inspection.
this composite wood structure knots are present
where tree branches grew. These knots can Another factor to be evaluated along with the
influence the strength of the structure depending wood fiber stress is the moisture content of the
on their size and on the species of wood. The wood. This is initially high when the pole is new
whole structure has also water present in various and decreases during the first few years after
degrees depending on the age of the wood and its installation to an equilibrium level as the pole
location in the soil. This water is either present dries out naturally. This level remains the same
due to the remaining sap of the tree or is there thereafter for a sound pole but rises at the
from biodegradation of the wood. groundline as decay increases. Hence the age of
the pole must be taken into consideration when
The height of the pole is also a factor in using moisture content as an indicator of pole
calculating the loading requirements. decay. Initial moisture content is attributable to
Statistically, taller trees grew faster and hence the amount of sap in the wood and can be
have fewer rings per inch of diameter than ignored, but the presence of high levels of
shorter trees, therefore taller poles (>50 ft) have moisture in older poles is almost certainly
weaker nominal fiber stress values. This is attributable to biodegradation. Different species
recognized in the ANSI specs for wood poles. have different levels of moisture content at
The scarcity of high quality trees and recent equilibrium. The pole surface moisture content
trends to accelerate tree growth reduces the varies continuously depending on the weather
nominal strength values of most species. This and location of the pole in the ground and must
reduction in nominal strength values for most not be confused with interior moisture content.
species of poles used by utilities has not yet been Therefore, an objective weather independent pole
recognized in the ANSI specs for wood poles, strength measurement cannot use pole surface
which are based on break tests of poles done in condition as an indicator of the overall condition
the sixties and seventies. Some estimates put the of the pole.
average nominal strength for new poles at about
20% below the values given by ANSI. Other variables that affect the pole strength are
knots, age (for some species more than others),
What this means to utilities is that when they are and circumference.
replacing older poles with new ones of the same
class the newer poles will be almost 20% weaker Any reliable estimate of the strength of a
than anticipated; a big factor to take into wood pole must therefore take as many of the
consideration when designing new lines or when variables that influence the wood structure
increasing the loading on existing lines. strength into consideration as is practical.

VII. Polux® Technology Background

VI. Effect of decay on pole strength
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology which
In general, wood poles have not been found to houses the world’s largest wood structures
lose strength from factors other than bio- institute (IBOIS) developed the Polux® System
degradation (decay) or physical damage. Decay of wood pole inspection in Europe. The six year
that destroys the outer shell of a pole rapidly research and development program was
reduces the bending strength. A 13% reduction in sponsored by the French power company
circumference caused by decay reduces the Electricité de France (EDF), in cooperation with
bending strength by 34%. Conversely, the impact the Swiss Power companies and the Institute (Ref
on bending strength from internal decay is much 5,6). The Polux® inspection system has been
less. For example, typical distribution sized poles adopted by some of the largest utilities in the

IEEE Rural Electric Power Conference - 2001 Page 3

 Europe as their only acceptable method for wood measure two critical properties of the pole. The
pole testing. first is the insertion force taken by the double
probes from a constant depth of 2in. inside the
wood. This measure is taken through a force
The Polux® Wood Pole inspection instrument sensor connected to the base of the probes. The
is manufactured to ISO 9002 standards. The second, taken between the tips of the probes at
testing procedure has been certified ISO 9002 the same 2-inch depth, is the moisture content
by the world’s largest utility Electricité de inside the pole. The two-inch depth where the
France - EDF. measurements are taken is in the critical strength
bearing outer shell of the pole.

North American calibration of the instrument

began in October 1995 and was followed by
POLUX Measurement
calibration and validation testing in October
1996 (Ref 7), Oct.1998, and Oct. 99 at the
Hydro-Quebec and Bell Canada joint test facility
Penetration resistance
in Montreal, Canada. In these validation tests against the probes
over 250 poles of the most common species used Point of Repeat
and POLUX
by utilities in North America were measured and Measurement

then subjected to destructive bending tests in Humidity between the

tips of the probes
order to determine their actual remaining 2 in.

strength. An extremely high correlation of the

instrument readings with the pole strength
(correlation coefficient r > 0.8) was obtained
which proved that the instrument can be operated
in North America with a very high degree of The probes are capable of measuring moisture
confidence. (Hydro-Quebec HydroTech Winter content well beyond the fiber saturation point
1996, vol. 11, No. 1). which is important in the assessment of advanced
decay in the pole. As the penetration resistance in
wood is affected by the moisture content of the
9000
wood fibers, the simultaneous measurement of
Acutal Pole Strength (MOR) in PSI)

8000
both hardness and moisture content enables
7000
Polux® to distinguish between good wood which
6000
is humid and hard to penetrate, and rotten wood
5000
4000
which is also humid but offers little or no
3000
resistance to probe penetration.
2000
POLUX Measurement System
1000
1500 2500 3500 4500 5500 6500 7500 Double probes 2 inches into the wood at the pole groundline
Polux Measurement of MOR (PSI)

Fig (1) Actual vs. Polux® Measurement of

Wood Pole
Pole Strength (MOR) at Groundline

2 Inches
Polux
Cone of Wetness
extends up to 10”
above ground and Strap

VIII. Polux® Non-Destructive Pole 18” below

Testing Procedure POLUX double probes

Gound Line

The Polux® inspection device uses two special

insulated probes that are driven into the pole at Normally two measurements are taken on each
the groundline, the most vulnerable point where pole at diametrically opposite points for
decay is most likely to be present. These special increased reliability. The average of these two
insulated probes, about 2.5 inches in length and measurements constitutes a complete reading.
1/8 inches diameter, are used to simultaneously These measurements are neither affected by daily

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 fluctuations (e.g. rain or weather conditions) in hand held computer and tabulated in an Excel
the surface condition of the pole, nor by its based spreadsheet for eventual retrieval.
surface treatment (preservative).

Decay below ground or core decay causes loss of

fiber strength in the groundline section of the
pole. The penetration resistance of the probes at
the groundline readily picks up manifestation of
such decay where the Polux® test is performed.
Polux®’s readings correlate significantly with
the actual strength of the pole when the pole is
stressed to destruction Fig.(1). The accuracy of
the Polux® residual strength calculations is to
within ±15%. Such tests were performed at
independent pole research and testing facilities.

In addition to the measurements of hardness and

moisture content, the hand-held computer
associated with the instrument integrates five
other pole variables that contribute to wood
strength into the multi-variate pole strength
analysis; species, circumference, height, knots,
age and mechanical damage. Visual factors such
as insect or pole top or surface decay are also
noted. The results of the inspection - pole
strength which is “Moment of Rupture” (MOR) No other wood pole evaluation technology
at the groundline, minimum remaining life, and exists today that matches Polux® in its
all other pole attributes - are calculated in the objectivity and precision.
Fig. (2) Sample Result Format
Circumference.(i

Inspection Date

Next inspection
(min. rmening

Strength (PSI)

Strength (PSI)
Manufacturer
Pole Number

Pole Species

Strength (%)
Install Year

Comments

Remaining
Height (ft.)
Treatment

Estimated
Nominal
Visual
Line

life)
n.)

VRP 430 1959 30 SP CREO SO T Koppers 35 GM PC 23.09.98 GOOD was marked 512
10 years 7800 6158 79
VRP 433 1955 27.5 SP CREO SO T Koppers 35 GM PC 23.09.98 Good
5 years 7800 4361 56
VRP 434 1955 31 SP CREO SO T Koppers 35 GM PC 23.09.98 GOOD, field marked 4
5 years 7800 5091 65
VRP 437 1950 25 SP CREO SO T Koppers 30 GM PC 23.09.98 Some Decay 5 years 7800 4961 64

M -16 001 1987 48 WC PEN T A CCC 50 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 10 years 4700 4699 100
M -16 005 1961 38 RP CREO SO T CCC 40 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 5 years 6600 3569 54
M -16 006 1961 39 RP CREO SO T CCC 40 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 5 years 6600 4012 61
M -16 007 1961 36 JP CREO SO T CCC 35 HW Y14 15.06.98 Surface Decay 3 years 6600 3108 47
M -16 009 1969 50 RP CREO SO T CCC 40 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 5 years 6600 3701 56
M -16 010 1969 51 WC CREO SO T CCC 45 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 10 years 5500 3856 70
M -16 011 1969 42 WC CREO SO T CCC 45 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD Tagged 565-5 10 years 5500 3915 71
M -16 013 1954 33 LP CREO SO T CCC 40 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 5 years 6600 4285 65
M -16 014 1954 32 LP CREO SO T NW P 40 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 10 years 6600 4775 72
M -16 015 1955 32 LP CREO SO T NW P 35 HW Y14 15.06.98 DECAY Tagged 1493-25 Change now 6600 2619 40
M -16 016 1986 41 RP PEN T A CCC 40 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 10 years 6600 4576 69
M -16 018 1958 31 LP CREO SO T NW P 35 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 10 years 6600 5008 76
M -16 019 1958 31 LP CREO SO T NW P 35 HW Y14 15.06.98 Some Decay Tx 1521-10 3 years 6600 2983 45
M -16 020 1958 36 LP CREO SO T NW P 40 HW Y14 15.06.98 GOOD 5 years 6600 4230 64

IX. Advantages of the Polux® NDE surface condition of the pole. Surface wetness
Wood pole inspection System due to rain, minor surface damage due to
weathering or the pole preservative treatment
The Polux® wood pole inspection system offers does not affect the Polux® reading.
many advantages over other wood pole
inspection methods. These are: • Polux®’s measurements of residual pole
strength are objective and repeatable, and are
• The Polux® test is a direct measure of fiber not dependent the interpretations of the
strength and moisture content 2 inches inside individuals carrying out the measurements.
the pole. This measurement in the strength
bearing part of the pole is not dependent on the

IEEE Rural Electric Power Conference - 2001 Page 5

 • The Polux® measurement integrates many might still have adequate strength. Worse still,
variables in the calculation of the pole strength; unsafe poles with interior decay might not be
probe penetration resistance, knots, moisture rejected using existing inspection methods.
content, pole age, circumference, height, species, Similarly, in wood pole line designs, pole-
and mechanical damage. Each of these variables loading criteria are based on ANSI values of
has a bearing on the residual strength of the pole. strength for each species of wood. Since poles
are only visually graded when new, they have a
• The Polux® system is manufactured to ISO large coefficient of variation. Therefore it is very
9002 standards which ensures that all the possible that a pole may be at the lower end of
instruments have a high degree of quality control the designated strength even when newly
and that the reading of one instrument is the same installed.
as any other. It also ensures that the instruments
are calibrated at a regular frequency to rigid • Direct measurement of strength of in-service
standards so that the user is assured of the poles with a good non-destructive evaluation
repeatability of the measurements between (NDE) technique provides the utilities with a
instruments. This quality control is very pole management program where decisions are
important when many instruments are being driven by reliable objective data. The pole
deployed in the field over a long period of time. strength database developed with the new NDE
instrument Polux will identify weaker poles and
• The Polux® system is the only wood pole will allow for more informed decisions on when
strength measuring system accepted and to replace, retreat, or strengthen such poles. Pole
certified ISO 9002 by an Electric utility. maintenance budgets can therefore be
Electricité De France, the French National Power directed to the most pressing needs for
Company (the largest Power company in the improving system reliability.
world) has certified Polux® as its only
acceptable wood pole strength measuring system. • Many utilities automatically inspect and
retreat poles after 10 or 15 years in the ground.
• The Polux® system is designed for exterior Suppliers of poles, on the other hand, quote
use and is sufficiently water, humidity, and twenty or even more years before the poles need
temperature resistant to withstand the harsh to be treated. Retreatment of a pole might delay
environments where poles are often located. In the onset of decay but it will not increase the
addition, the Polux® instrument performs its own strength of the pole if it is already decayed. A
self diagnostic test each time it takes a reading, database of life and decay patterns of each
and will not function if it detects any internal pole species could save the utilities
malfunctions. considerable pole line maintenance costs by
eliminating unnecessary inspections as well as
re-treatments in the early life of the wood
poles.
X. Utility Benefits from using the
Polux® System • More accurate wood pole assessment with
this device would also result in a more
Electric utilities use the National Electric Safety ecologically sound approach to wood pole
Code (NESC) as a starting point for designing management by reducing costly retreatment with
Transmission and Distribution lines. The NESC chemicals that eventually leach into the soil
specifies the minimum required strength the pole around the base of the pole.
must have according to government regulation.
The NESC does not specify the method to be • Development of long-term trend patterns
used for determining the material strength at the will provide sound basis for new strategies on
time of replacement. This decision has been left cost-effective pole selection, placement, re-
to the judgment of the engineer. The NESC code inspection, and maintenance.
limit requires that a pole be rejected when 33%
of its “section modulus” (hence its strength) is
lost. Due to the major limitations of the In summary:
inspection methods presently utilized, and the Objective reliable pole condition
absence of a good method to evaluate pole measurement with a proven non-destructive
strength, poles are often rejected when they technology such as Polux® will permit utilities
to develop minimal risk pole management and

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 replacement strategies while optimizing
replacement and re-treatment budgets.

XI. References:
1. American National Standard, ANSI 05.1-1992
: Specifications and Dimensions for Wood Poles.
2. American National Standard: (ANSI) National
Electrical Safety Code NESC. Published by the
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers,
IEEE, New York, 1993 Edition.
3. Guide for Maintenance of Wood Distribution
and Transmission Line Structures Prepared by the
Wood Structures Working Group of the IEEE
Power Engineering Society. Draft Jan. 1997
4. Performance of Utility Pole Strength
Prediction Techniques, by Mark Wright of New
York State Electricity and Gas, published by the
American Wood Preservers Association, (1995).
5. J.L. SANDOZ; P. LORIN: Appareil de
contrôle des poteaux bois: Développement et
étalonnage de Polux® (An Instrument for
Inspection of Wood Poles, Development and
Validation of Polux®). Rapport EDF-CBS-EPFL.
January 1995.
6. SANDOZ, P.LORIN: New Technologies in
Evaluation of In-Service Wooden Poles. Int. Conf.
Wood Poles & Piles. March 1996. Fort Collins,
CO-USA
7. J.L. SANDOZ and E. M. EZER, Calibration
and Testing of Polux®, a New Instrument for
Wood Pole Inspection, MEA Final Report #RD-
9602, April 1997.

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