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CROSS Safety Report

Accelerated corrosion of telecoms mast holding down bolts

Report ID: 773 Published: 1 June 2022 Region: CROSS-UK


Overview

During an examination of a 20m high telecoms mast, a reporter found that there had been accelerated corrosion of the galvanised holding down bolts.

Key Learning Outcomes

For asset owners and managers:

  • Regular inspections and maintenance can help keep a structure safe before it deteriorates and requires costly repairs
  • Fixings may require a combination of regular visual inspections with full inspections at appropriate intervals and should be inspected by a person who is competent to do so

For civil and structural design engineers:

  • Be aware that connections can often be the weak link in structures and attention to detail is required

  • Selecting the correct fixings and corrosion protection for the given environment is important to ensure they perform as expected

Full Report

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During an examination of a 20m high telecoms mast, a reporter found that there had been accelerated corrosion of the galvanised holding down bolts in the gap between the base plates and the concrete foundation slab. The loss of section was found to be around 5mm in less than 10 years. The holding down bolts were difficult to inspect as the gap between the baseplate and the foundation was less than 50mm. An inspection of similar masts did not find similar defects.

Expert Panel Comments

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There are no Expert Panel comments on this report. The Expert Panels are only asked to comment on selected reports. These are normally reports where there is an opportunity for them to help you understand what can be learned from the report.

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