Abstract:
Electricity is an essential commodity or utility for individuals and nations alike. With the advancement of technology, access to electrical power is paramount to the economic development of a country. The World Bank ranked electricity as the second most important constraint to business activities in the country. It estimated that Ghana lost about 1.8 per cent of GDP during the 2007 power crisis. Key elements of the electricity distribution network in Ghana are the electricity poles, conductors, transformers and insulators. The primary materials used for the construction of poles are timber, concrete and steel with timber being the most common due to its relatively low cost and availability. Timber, however, is plagued by varied agents of destruction which include termite and fungal action, as well as destruction by outbreaks of fire. Concrete poles though unaffected by these destructive elements, tend to be quite heavy. This poses a unique problem for the transport and management of such poles. This study is focused on improving the design of the concrete poles such that they are lighter than the previously used concrete poles while ensuring strength and stability. A proposed model of a tapered pole with a rectangular cross-section was designed according to guidelines stated in the EUROCODES design manual and analysed in ETABS 2016. From the analysis results, the pole design was found to have successfully passed all design requirements with a weight of 450kg and 575kg for the 9 meter and 11-meter pole respectively. Though these pole designs are not as light as timber poles, they are about half the weight of previously used concrete poles. This study could enhance the electricity distribution infrastructure in Ghana. In anticipation of the introduction of nuclear power into the energy generation mix of the country, the lighter weight reinforced concrete poles designed in this study could be utilised to increase the accessibility of electricity to the end-user.
