Tensioning of guyed towers is the most vital step to ensure the stability of a fully or partially guyed tower. Tensioning of guys defines the length of time for which a guy will be able to support a mast or a tower. Tensioning is the maximum amount of stress or pull a guy can absorb without giving way.
Manufacturers of guys all over the world also refer to the tensioning as the elasticity of the guys. Reputed manufacturers like Mer Telecom put their guys through stern tensioning tests before these can be deployed to support the masts or guyed towers.
There are a few technical aspects the manufacturers look for while testing a guy. First, they look for the yield stress of the guy. Yield stress is the maximum extent till which a guy can absorb a pull or a strain. Second, they look for the modulus of the wires that will be used for guyed towers. Conventional belief is that the higher the modulus, the more stable will be the guyed towers.
There are a number of ways to test the tensioning of guys for the guyed towers and a few of them are described below:
- Direct method: The direct method makes use of hydraulic or mechanical equipments to pull the guy wire to gauge the tension. The direct method is considered to be the best method because it uses the gauge which is accurate.
- Indirect method: The indirect method uses calculations and various assumptions and predicts the tension of the guyed wires. The Sag method is the most common application of the indirect method. However, the indirect method is not considered to be as accurate as the direct method.
The sternest test of the guy tensioning probably comes when a strong wind blows across the guyed towers. It is natural for the guyed towers to move when the wind force is strong. At this juncture, the upwind guys are stretched and undergo tension and after a point in time, resist movement.
The downwind guys at the same time release pre-load and lose tension. Therefore, both upwind and downwind guys of the guyed towers complement each other in preventing the guyed towers from becoming unstable.
Tensioning of guys is without a doubt the most important phase of deploying guyed towers. Guyed towers will attain stability purely on the basis of the tensioning abilities of the guys. Reputed organizations like Mer Telecom that make guyed towers subject the wires to stern tensioning.
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