Trust CSWI to develope and implement a comprehensive inspection program for your parking lot or traffic light pole structures.

As a major part of our aging infrastructure, structures such as high mast light poles, traffic light standards and overhead highway signs undergo a significant amount of fatigue and stress induced by various external forces such as:

• Wind
• Excessive Loading
• Vehicle Impact

Add to this the ever-present danger of corrosion caused by natural condensation, often occurring on the inside of the pole and not visible to the naked eye and you've got a recipe for catastrophic failure, resulting in lost time, money and possible liability.

CSWI can help you develope an inspection program to help identify any potential problems before they turn catastrophic. CSWI uses a variety of nondestructive testing/inspection methods to provide a thorough evaluation of your structure, such as:

• Base Plate - Essentially the most critical part of the structure. Damage to the base plate can lead to immediate failure of the entire structure.
• Fasteners - Along with the base plate, fasteners are another critical, yet often overlooked component of the structure. Fasteners should be inspected for damage, wear and tightness to ensure serviceability.
• Mast Arms & Fixtures - Typically the weakest part of the structure, cantilevered mast arms and fixtures are more susceptible to fatigue loading from wind and impact. 

A light pole inspection must include, at a minimum, a visual inspection to check for obvious structural damage, cracked welds, loose fasteners, missing covers and of course corrosion. CSWI employs the following methods as part of a routine or indident-specific inspection:

Ultrasonic Testing (UT):

UT is used (when appropriate) to evaluate the condition of welded connections, as well as determining the presence and extent of any corrosion present on the exterior or interior of the pole.

Magnetic Particle Testing (MT):

MT is used (when appropriate) to investigate welded connections in an attempt to identify and quantify any potential near-surface or suface defects.

Visual Inspection/Testing (VT):

VT is the first line of defense in evaluation of a light pole structure. Damages from fatigue cracking (due to wind load and "galloping") as well as damage from vehicle/foreign object impact can often be detected with a simple, comprehensive visual inspection of the structure.

Proof-Load Testing:

Anchor bolts embedded in concrete foundations can be subjected to proof-load testing, to "prove" that the fastener is able to resist the required loads for which it was designed.