摘要: |
Although end-plates and base-plates are routinely used in cantilevered structures supporting traffic signs, signals, and lights, no standard procedure has been established for the design of these plates. In this report, a simplified procedure is developed for design of end-plates and base-plates of these structures, and also for base-plates of span-wire-mounted traffic-signal structures. The proposed procedure is based on beam-and-plate bending and torsion theories, and is intended for routine application by practicing engineers when designing plates of square configurations. Plate thicknesses and stresses obtained using this procedure compared well with those estimated using finite-element analysis, and also supported earlier conclusions reached through physical testing. In all, 3S base-plates from five major manufacturers of traffic poles used in New York State were analyzed in the study. A spreadsheet program implementing the proposed procedure was also developed as an efficient tool for engineers designing these items. Using this tool will not only expedite the design process, but also facilitate optimizing plate sizes, because various design alternatives can be easily investigated and the optimal alternative rationally selected. |