A soil investigation by a geotechnical engineering firm is
recommended for each tower site to determine its unique soil
and physical characteristics, and to provide data to develop
safe design parameters, economical foundation alternatives,
and installation procedures. To ensure that the report
furnishes useful information to the foundation designer, the
geotechnical firm should be provided with the following
information:
- A plot plan and site location map with tower, equipment building and other site improvements located.
- Tower base vertical reaction, shear, and anchor vertical and horizontal reactions for guyed towers; or maximum compression and tension (uplift) reactions with shear for self-supporting towers; or maximum overturning moment, compression and shear for monopoles.
- Any special conditions or requirements of the specifications.
- The minimum depth of borings for guyed tower bases should be 15-20 ft; for guyed tower anchors 10-15 ft; for self-supporting towers and monopoles, boring depth will vary depending upon the type of foundation being considered. The magnitude of the structure reactions, site and soil conditions may require altering the boring depth requirements.
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The geotechnical report should provide the following information at minimum:
- Boring logs.
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- Date, sampling methods, number and type of samples.
- Description of the soil strata according to the Unified Soil Classification System.
- Depths at which strata changes occur referenced to a site datum.
- Standard Penetration Test blow counts.
- Soil densities.
- Elevation of free water encountered and its level after 24 hours; and recommended ground water elevation to be considered for design.
- Maximum and average depth of frost penetration.
- Other soil characteristics or properties which may be required because of local conditions.
- A description of alternative foundation methods with recommendations for ultimate values for passive pressure, bearing pressure, skin friction, the angle of internal friction, other applicable soil properties, and appropriate safety factors.
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