FHWA NDE CENTER RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Light Poles, Sign Structures, and Traffic Signal Supports
The inspection needs for overhead ancillary structures such as light poles, sign structures, and traffic signal supports are
sometimes overlooked. With many of these structures, corrosion and fatigue cracking are potential problems than often shorten
the useful life. Also, the overhead nature of these structures means that failure could lead to significant traffic impediments and
possible injury to the traveling public. The focus of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) Center in this task is to assist State transportation agencies with improving the methods,
approaches, and procedures for the inspection of light poles, sign structures, and traffic signal supports. There are four main
components to this study. A survey of States will be conducted to evaluate the current inspection practice for these structures.
A working group will be formed in collaboration with the FHWA Eastern Resource Center, the Office of Bridge Technology, and
State transportation agencies to bring together individuals from various States interested in addressing problems with these
structures. A market survey will be performed of available inspection techniques, and if particularly promising techniques are
identified, additional testing will be performed to determine the limits of its capabilities.
The survey of States was sent out July 17, 2000. Responses are currently being received. The survey asked 14 questions
related to the inspection practice for these structures. Sample questions focused on certain structure types are inspected,
inventoried, the inspection frequency, the inspecting agency, and typical problems experienced. The survey will also be used as
a tool to recruit members to the working group.
The market survey will be starting in September. This survey will focus on remote inspection techniques; some devices already
considered are spotter scopes, digital cameras, and robotics crawlers. The robotic crawler "PoleCat" is shown in
Figure 1. This device came from research coordinated by the Virginia Transportation Research Council. As additional promising
remote inspection techniques are identified, demonstrations will be set up for the working group and State transportation
agencies.
Figure 1 - PoleCat robotics crawler, sponsored in part by
the Virginia DOT
For more information, please contact either by e-mail or telephone.
Frank Jalinoos (202) 493-3082
frank.jalinoos@fhwa.dot.gov
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