Part 3 Guy Tower Structure

www.fullertonengineering.com
Engineer Training Series – Guyed Towers
Part 3
Objective: Understand, Confirm, and Explore ... Past and Most Unique Practices
(1) Monopole
(2) Self Supporter
(3) Guyed Tower
The following information is presented in a 3 part series that
cover the Parts, Foundations, Erection, and Maintenance
efforts for each of the following structure types:
Fred Teichman 04/2014

Part 3 – Guyed Tower Typical Use
Maximum Height, Most Ground space required,
Great loading Capacity & Mainly in Rural area

Part Three – Why use a Guyed Tower ?
Guyed Tower
Guyed towers are the tallest
A tall thin vertical structure that depends on guy lines for stability. The mast itself
has the compressive strength to support its own weight, but usually does not have
the shear strength to stand unsupported.
The main advantage of Guying is that it is cheaper than building a completely free-
standing tower, which can withstand the same force.
Further, it allows for very easy upgrading of existing structures. The disadvantage
of additional Guying is that it requires much more ground space.
Guyed towers require the largest footprint .

Guyed Towers – Empty and Full for good reasons
The Tower is the antenna and
often is grouped with other similar
towers
Or... the Tower is used to carry a lot of
antennas and equipment .
Vertical Real Estate !

Part 3 – Guyed Tower – Vertical Real Estate
Guyed Towers
70% of the photos used in this material are from actual projects and referenced by customer & site.
Project drawings and costs information is available upon request. FredTeichmanHTH@gmail.com
• Typical Parts & Pieces
(Structure & Accessories)
• Manufactures
• Foundations
• Assembly and Erection
• Maintenance

Guyed Tower - Typical Parts
The Tower Section

Guyed Tower - Base Sections
3 common styles of base sections
Tapered, Pivoted and Composite
The Tapered tower base is the most
common for the wireless industry

Guyed Tower Section Types – Welded
All Welded sections Weld-together Structures
Manufactured in 20' sections and can be
custom designed from 12" to 72" face
widths. Welded towers are ideal for ease-
of-installation and can be designed up to
1,200' in height.

Guyed Tower Section Types – Bolted
Bolt-together Structures
Manufactured in 20' and 30' sections and
vary from 3' to 12' face widths. These are
typically assembled on-site. This type is
normally for large structures and can be
designed up to 2,000' height.
Bolt on horizontals
and diagonals
bracing.
Bolt-Together are the most common

Guyed Tower - Legs
The Tower Legs

Guyed Tower - Typical Legs
Angle legs
Tubular legs
(Steel Pipe) are
actively sold and
manufactured for
the international
market thru Rohn
Solid Round and Angle legs
are the most common .
However many tubular leg
towers are used for lighter
applications
Solid Round legs
Hollow Round legs

Bracing Designs
Horizontals & Diagonals
(solid rod, tubular, flat bar or angle)

Guyed Tower - Bracing type and design
Angle bolt-on for both
Horizontal and Diagonal (X)
bracing
Single braced is often
referenced as “Z” bracing
Double bracing is “X”
bracing

The Connection
Section to Section
Guy to Section and Guy to Anchor

Guyed Section Connection – Flange & Splice Plate
Multi bolt Plate connection
(old Grasis /Andrew tower)
3 triangle bolt flange on welded sections
4 bolt Round flange on knock down
(bolt together) sections

Guy Wire Connection – Guy Levels
Based on the design of the tower, guy
levels can be a single attachment from
the tower leg to the guy anchor , or a
dual attachment from the tower face
using a torque stabilizer (shown in
upcoming slides)
Anchor
Single pull off
Dual pull
off
Guy level
#1
Guy level
#2
Guy level
#3

Guyed Tower – Typical Anchor (Ground connection)

Guyed Tower Ground Connection – Anchor Detail
Anchor detail revealing
4 to 6 different guy
levels secured to the
Anchor head

Guyed Tower Air Connection – Typical
Single Guy connection from the tower
Same parts on
this end as well:
Preform
Thimble
Crosby Shackle
Old style
“johnny ball”
shackle with a
popped thimble
(useless)

Guyed Wire Connection – Torque Stabilizer
Dual guy connections (2) at the same guy level is accomplished with a Torque
Stabilizer. This approach prevents twist and sway (movement ) because the pull is
from the face and goes to two different anchor points
Point to Point
Microwave
antennas require
less movement to
stay on path
(aligned signal
strength)

Guyed Tower - Connections Recap
Per guy level , The guy pull off will have one guy wire to each of the three anchor.
The Torque stabilizer will have two guy wires that go to two of the three guys anchors
pulling from the face vs the leg. This approach increases the number of guy wires to
each of the anchors.
2 guy wires from the same guy level
1 guy wire per level
Also – based on design
and soil conditions the
tower may have two sets
of anchors at the same
degrees – Inner and outer

Guyed Tower - Climbing
Access – Up & Down

Guyed Tower Access – How to climb?
A. Climbing the Sections (most common)
B. Ladder (inside, outside or leg)
Interior climbing
Tower face is the ladder
Safety climb
system
Or

Guyed Tower - Climbing: What you see less of...
Step bolts - angle
or round tower
leg
• Step Bolts (leg)
• Elevator (Broadcast
towers)
Only on Towers 750+’ and
taller may have elevators .
These towers also includes
climbing ladder and rest
platforms

Guyed Tower - By Who
Manufacture

Guyed Tower – Manufactures: Who and Where
Is now
Valley NE
Sioux City IA
South Bend IN
Ft Worth TX
Peoria IL
Plymouth IN
Newburg IN
Fremont IN
Lansdale PA

Guyed Tower Typical Parts
Accessories
&
Mounts

1. Mounts
A. Three-sectored mounting frame
B. Side Arm mounts
C.Pipe mounts
2. Cable Support System
A. waveguide ladder
B. Cluster & T Brackets
3. FAA Marking (structures 200’ or more)
A. Paint Banding & Red Flash
B. White Strobe

Guyed tower – #1 Mounts
Source: Comscope & SitePro
Stand off
Arms for
Omni
antennas
M/W pipe
mounts
Sector
Mount
Antenna mounts are attached to a
single leg , or across the tower face
(leg to leg).
Stand-Off Mount
with
tie back
Single leg
sector mount
Face mount

Guyed Tower – #2 Cable Support Systems
Tee Brackets or
Cable Ladder on
the outside of
the tower face
Cluster Bracket
Inside Tower with ...
Most Common: The Tower
face is outfitted with Diagonal
bracing that is punched or
modified to secure coax.

Guyed Tower – #3 Lighting Systems – Reference
FAA Marking for structures over 200’ or near Airport zone.
Red light flashing requires FAA Orange White paint bands
Strobe requires lights only (day night operations)

Guyed Tower – #3 Lighting Systems
Old style - 2 bulb Red flashing beacon
*New LED Red beacon and side light
Medium Intensity
White Strobe
Old style - single
side lights
Dual System
Red flashing
and White
Strobe

Monopole Foundations
Foundations

Guyed Tower Foundations - Center Pier options
Drilled Pier for Tower Center - or - Pad & Pier for Tower Center

Guyed Tower Foundations - Guyed Anchors
Standard Dead-man Anchor – Min of 3
per tower with as many as 9 total (inner,
center and outer positions)
Non Standard Dead-man Anchor
Tower layout with
3 anchors

Guyed Tower Foundations - Center Pier
Pad & Pier
foundation
Excavating
the area
Based on
size
continuous
pour is
possible
Center Pier
Rebar
positioned
on blocks
for proper
separation
ATC – Carbon IN

Guyed Tower Foundations - Dead-man Anchor
Clean hole
walls holding
well - T shape
design for
anchor rod
support
ATC – Carbon IN

Guyed Tower - Guyed Anchor Installation
Rebar cage in hole and secured to anchor
shaft
ATC – Carbon IN
Concrete Poured to proper level
The walls are used to form
the concrete block

Guyed Tower Anchor – Pour Soil Conditions
Not a clean hole (walls collapsed) - required
engineered steel casing & oversizing of
anchor block due to poor soil conditions
CCI – Marshalltown IA
Walls collapsing
requiring forming of
anchor and soil
bearing confirmation

Standard & Non Standard Guyed tower Anchor
Belknap MI – 300’ Guyed tower with elevated anchor
Standard Anchor with stone and
fencing in open farm field
Why the fencing? ... Both farm
and wild animals like to use the
guy wires to scratch themselves
SBA - Breckenridge MN

Guyed Tower – Offload, Assembly & Erection
Offload
Assembly & Erection

Guyed Tower – Offload & Assembly
Welded sections require more trailer space but the consistent section size makes
it easy to stack (Erect)

Guyed Tower – Offload & Assembly
Bolted sections can easily be transported but require much more assembly time
on site prior easy to erecting
This tower was factory painted to be FAA compliant prior to shipping to site.

Guyed Tower – Layout & Guy Wire Cut Lengths
7 strand Galvanized Steel Wire is the most common Guy Wire used.
Guy wire is provided on bulk reals . Determining the
guy wire cut lengths require 3 points of information:
(1) Guy level height
(2) Anchor distance
(3) Ground elevation Hydraulic
Tool
Guy Wire cutters

Guyed Tower Assembly
Welded sections are bolted together 2 – 3 section (next guy level) for Crane lift
Bolted together sections are assembled then
bolted together
Mounts are assembled
Lights and accessories
attached
Cut guy wire lengths
are attached

Guyed Tower Erection – Using Cranes
When using Cranes to erect guyed towers, multiple
sections are set at the same time to reach the first
guy level. Each guy level is secured and tensioned
prior to setting the next group of sections to the
next guy level.
Guy wires are
attached to sections
being raised.
Guy Levels 1 & 2
When Guy towers exceed
the height capabilities of
the crane ... Using a gin
pole is required.

Guyed Tower Erection – Gin Pole (How it works)
Double drum skid winch mounted to trailer
Trailer is secured to
the trees with a
cable
Bottom blocks for
load and jump line
Winch is used to raise
the tower sections and
raise and lower the gin
pole during erection.

Guyed Tower Erection with Gin Pole
As illustrated in the previous slide, the
gin pole (yellow) show here is used to
raise each tower section so that it can
be secured in place, the pole is then
raised up (jumped) and secured so it
can raise the next section. This process
is continued upward to complete the
erection of the tower.
Skid winch
Load and
Jump
blocks at
base of
tower

Guyed Tower Erection (small towers & rooftops)
On smaller structures , smaller winch and gin poles are used
Some devices are easy to handle
Capstan
winch
with foot
switch is
used with
rope to
raise
equipment

Guyed Tower - Typical Service
Maintenance
Up and Down
(Lots to do)

Guyed Tower Maintenance – 5+ areas
Basic maintenance covers 5+ areas:
1. Plumb & Tension
2. Tower Surface condition (Galvanizing)
3. Guy Anchor Shaft & Surface condition
4. Guy Wire Surface condition
5. Weed & Growth control
6. FAA marking (Paint and lights) if required
7. Confirm no lose bolts & equipment (tight)
Most towers are marked
with an identity tag/plate
that references ownership,
manufacture and drawings
Sample
tower
plates
#1 product used in the
field for repairing
damaged galvanizing

Guy Wire “Plumb” using a Transit
Precision with respect to plumb,
tension, and twist is vital for maximizing
the lifespan of each guyed tower.
http://youtu.be/mU8q8QGmXGE
9 min YouTube video
Plumb and Tension Training Video -
Example of 2
positions to check if
tower is straight
(plumb)

Guy Wire “Tension” 2 methods - #1 using a Dylan
Dillon (Dynamometer) used to measure
tension
Chicago Grip
Cable grip (guy strand)
Cable Come-along
2 ton with 20’ of cable

Guy Wire “Tension” 2 methods - #2 Tension Meter(s)
Penn Tech Tensiometer
Quick-Check
Tension Meter
Both Installs, measures
and removes in seconds.
The digital load cell is
highly accurate
Penn Tech or Dillon

Guy Wire – Sample Guy Tension Chart
Horvath Com – Wayne KS

Guyed Tower – Corrosion Rust Inside Out
In our 35 years of building, installing and
maintaining towers sites around the world to
date, Rohn has not had the experience of a
single ROHN structure suffering from internal
corrosion, starting from the inside out, and
causing a structural failure.
http://m.rohnproducts.com/technical-
info/corrosion-rust-inside-out.html
Tubular member towers have no shorter life
span than any other type of steel member.
Tubular... Solid... Angle... ? Concerns about
increased corrosion of one vs the other ?

Guyed Tower Anchor Care - Concern for Corrosion
Turnbuckles
Iron ore requires energy or processing to be
converted into steel and subsequently into
anchor shafts. Because the steel in the
anchor shafts is highly processed, it has a
natural tendency to return to its native state
- Iron Oxide. This process is known as
corrosion or rusting.
Although coatings and galvanizing can
assist in limiting corrosion, they can not
be considered adequate corrosion
control by themselves in soil
Anchor Protection Systems – One method
known as Cathodic Protection (CP) is available
to protect the life of the anchor shaft.
Annual inspection is highly
recommended

Guyed Wire & Anchor Care – Rust and Overgrowth
Its not
uncommon for
remote access
sites to be
come highly
overgrown
In this photo
you can see
that the
galvanizing has
failed on the
guy wires,
preforms and
turnbuckles

Guyed Tower – Guy Wire and Accessories – Rust
Rust clearly has
damaged the
thimble that
separates the
turnbuckle and
preform
This much rust and deterioration on the
exposed galvanized surfaces clearly raises
concern on the condition of the actual
guy anchor shafts that are below the
earth

Guyed Tower Maintenance – weed control
Weed control and overgrowth is an
ongoing expense for guyed towers
due to their rural location.
Weed control is required at the guy
anchors as well as the tower base
and complete compound

Maintenance – FAA Marking (Painting)
The FAA has strict guidelines for marking structures over
200’. When specific zoning requirements prevent a tower
owners from using strobe lights, painting the Orange & White
bands on the tower become required. Repainting is a natural
occurrence every 5 – 7 years .
Fade chart is used to
determine if paint condition is
compliant
Most Common brands
In some cases the coax
is also painted due to
the qty and possible
shielding – however
the paint sticks better
to the steel

Maintenance – FAA Light replacement and Inspection
Top & mid
point
Beacon bulb
replacement
Side Light bulb
Vertical visual inspection inside and
outside of tower
Looking for weather
related failures, loose
hardware &
equipment , along
with poorly
supported cables

Guyed Tower – Summary & Key Points
• Least expensive
• Requires The Most Area
• Tallest Heights
• Highest Maintenance
• FAA Marking almost always
• Easiest to Upgrade

Specialized Suppliers & Resources
www.sabretowersandpoles.com
www.valmont.com/valmont-
structures/products/wireless-communication
www.ep-ind.com Fred Teichman
www.linkedin.com/in/fredteichman
www.primuselectronics.com
www.us-instrument.com
www.wirelessestimator.com
www.anchorguard.com/flow_charts.cfm

Part 3 Guy Tower Structure

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