In hurricane-prone areas, the resilience of commercial lighting systems is critical to ensuring safety, functionality, and cost-effectiveness. High winds, torrential rain, and flying debris can wreak havoc on traditional lighting systems, leading to damage, outages, and costly repairs.
The challenges posed by these extreme weather conditions require innovative solutions. This includes commercial-grade light poles as well as lighting fixtures that are engineered to withstand intense wind loads, resist corrosion from saltwater exposure, and maintain functionality in the face of power disruptions.
Fortunately, advancements in materials, engineering, and technology have paved the way for durable, hurricane-resistant lighting solutions. From reinforced light poles designed to endure hurricane-force winds to LED fixtures with rugged, sealed housings, businesses now have access to reliable options that ensure their lighting systems perform when it matters most.
Consequences of Inadequate Poles in High-Wind Areas
The image in this section vividly demonstrates the kind of destruction that hurricane-force winds can inflict on standard infrastructure, including utility poles and light poles. When poles and supporting structures are not engineered to withstand extreme weather, the consequences can be severe:
- Public Safety Risks: Collapsed poles can obstruct roadways, damage vehicles, and pose electrical hazards from downed power lines.
- Disruptions to Critical Services: Damage to utility poles can lead to widespread power outages, interrupted communication networks, and compromised street and area lighting.
- High Costs of Repairs and Replacements: Rebuilding damaged infrastructure can be both time-consuming and expensive, especially in disaster-stricken areas.
Investing in robust, wind-rated infrastructure ensures greater resilience, reduced downtime, and lower long-term costs, making it a vital step for hurricane-prone regions.
Hurricane-Resistant Light Poles
- Brand: Atlas Lighting Products
- Height Options: 12ft, 14ft, 15ft, 16ft, 20ft, 25ft
- Pole Diameter: 4″ or 5″
- Gauge: 7 or 11
Light poles face a wide variety of stresses and strains during their normal course of functioning. For extreme environments and weather events, there are specific types of poles rated for hurricane force winds. These poles are engineered to not only have a firm footing on the ground, but also to be strong enough to not flex or bend under the tremendous strain that these winds put on structures.
Instead of being made of organic materials such as treated wood, these hurricane resistant poles are made exclusively of materials such as high tensile steel, aluminum and fiberglass. Because these are man-made materials, they can be specifically designed and tested for repeat performance at various wind speed and height combinations. This makes them suitable for trouble free use in a wide variety of different environments.
In addition to being structurally engineered to withstand the mechanical stresses of operating in extreme weather environments, hurricane resistant poles also have to be chemically resistant for things such as salt spray and UV deterioration. Damage such as rust and corrosion or delamination of fiberglass can cause irreversible compromises to the structural integrity of a pole, reducing its real world resistance to hurricane force winds.
Wind Load Ratings
One of the most critical factors in designing lighting for hurricane-prone areas is understanding and adhering to wind load ratings. These ratings specify the maximum wind force a lighting system can endure without failure. It is important to understand how these ratings work in order to select the correct light pole for the application.
A primary factor in determining wind load ratings for a light pole is understanding the effective projected area (EPA) of a fixture being mounted. The EPA of a figure is defined as the surface area of an object exposed to the wind. This information is used in combination with wind speed and other factors to determine the best specifications for a particular pole, as well as its base and the foundation in the ground or support structure. Typically, EPA is calculated based on the industry standards of 2020 FBC / ASCE-7, AASHTO LFRDLTS-1, or per AASHTO guidelines LTS-6.
This chart represents the wind load capacity (EPA, or Effective Projected Area in square feet) for standard steel light poles under various wind speeds, accounting for a 1.3 gust factor. It assumes the poles are not specialized to withstand extreme high-wind conditions, though such specialized options are available. The chart details the pole’s dimensions (diameter, height, wall thickness, and weight) and the maximum square footage that can be safely attached at wind speeds ranging from 80 mph to 150 mph.
The wind ratings and maximum EPA values listed in this chart apply to specific steel light pole models and configurations. Actual performance may vary based on factors such as pole design, material properties, mounting conditions, local wind environment, and additional attachments or modifications. For accurate application and safety compliance, consult with the manufacturer or a qualified structural engineer.
A crucial factor in these wind load ratings is the height of the pole itself. There is a balance between wall thickness, tube diameter and height in order to achieve optimal load ratings as well as rigidity under hurricane force winds. Thicker pole walls will provide sheer strength regardless of diameter. Larger diameter tubes are more resistant to flexing from torsional load, all other factors being equal.
Pole height is the final and probably most important factor in this, with an almost directly proportional relationship between height and wind resistance. Taller poles put more leverage on their bases and inherently will flex more than shorter poles. Typically, larger poles will be thicker in diameter and/or wall thickness in order to accommodate this additional strain, particularly for applications that expect extreme weather such as hurricanes.