Optimization of an Electricity Pole

The presence of electricity poles in the landscape is considered by many people to be offensive. These massive installations of industrial technology tend to dominate the natural environment. This is particularly true for truss poles constructed from an intricate weave of steel rods.

Architectural company Kollision and Rational Engineering teamed up with mechanical and power electronics experts of Aalborg University, Jørgen Kepler and Claus Leth Bak, to re-invent the electricity pole. The idea was to let shape optimization bring out the simple and elegant visual expression that you often find in natural structures, i.e., in the environment where the pole is to be installed

The result is shown on the picture above. It is a lightweight shell structure manufactured from thin steel plates.

Notice the very uniform distribution of stress along the edges of the structure. This is a clear indication of the optimality of this shape.

If you know Danish you can get the full story at Kollisions home page, http://www.kollision.dk/xlmast/.

Sprocket  | Slide gate | Turbine wheel | Electricity Pole | Truck Floor

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Last modified: november 15, 2001