LS-3 LJ 

Mr. Joseph J. Brindlinger 

Manager, Engineering Services 

Union Meta? Corporation 

1022 9th St. S.W. 

P.O. Box 9920 

Canton, OH 44711 

,,: 

REFER TO: 

HNG-14 

Dear Mr. Brindlinger: 

This is in response to your May 18 request for acceptance by the Federal 

Highway Administration of your company's A2940 cast aluminum base for use on 

Federal-aid highway projects. Tests were conducted to assess the compliance of 

the base with Section 7 of the 1975 and 1985 AASHTO specifications. You 

enclosed for our review two Southwest Research Institute reports 

(Project No. 06-2128-102), dated May 1988, containing pendulum tests on the 

base using two different poles. 

The tests used an instrumented 1,800-pound pendulum fitted with a 10 stage 

crushable nose which simulates a 1979 Volkswagen Rabbit. The bolt circle 

diameter was 14.5 inches and the luminaire mounting height was 50 feet in both 

tests. The measured and extrapolated results from the tests were as follows: 

Test Date 

No.--- 

Measured change Extrapolated ,Stub _ Pole Total 

- 

in velocity at change in Height w 

20 m.p.h. velocity at Thickness 

60 m.p.h. 

UMLP 

System 

1 3-28-88 14.8 fps 9.7 fps 4.0" 0.188" 331 # 

UMLP 

3 3-28-88 13.8 fps 10.5 fps 4.0" 0.250" 405 # 

The above information shows that the actual tests and calculated changes in 

velocity of the pole-base combinations meet the change in velocity and stub 

height provisions of Section 7 of the 1985 American Association of State 

Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) "Standard Specifications for 

Change 

b 

Momentum 

827 lb-set 

453 lb-set 

Structural Supports tar Highway Signs, Luminaire and Traffic Signals." It is 

also evident that the test results meet the change in momentum requirements of 

the 1975 AASHTO specifications. 

The Union Metal A2940 base is acceptable far use on FederaT-aid projects, 

within the range of conditions tested, if proposed by a State. The acceptance 

is limited to breakaway characteristics of the base and does not cover its 

structural features. Presumably, you will supply potential users with 

sufficient information on structural design and installation requirements to 

ensure proper base performance. 
We anticipate that the States will require certification from Akron Foundry 

Company that castings furnished have essentially the same chemistry, mechanical 

properties, and geometry as the castings used in the tests and that the 

castings will meet the FHWA change in velocity requirements. 

Sincerely yours, 

L. A. Staron 

Chief, Federal-Aid and Design Division 

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