L5- 7 

NOV 8 1989 

REFER TO: 

HNG-14 

John F. Boozer, III, P.E. 

Product Development Engineer 

Shakespeare Products Group 

Route 3, P.O. Box 733 

Newberry, South Carolina 29108 

Dear Mr. Boozer: 

This is in response to your letters of May 30 and August 9 to Mr. Thomas 0. 

Willett in which you requested Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

acceptance of your company's anchor base light poles when used with "PoleSafe" breakaway support couplings. The pole series for which you requested 

acceptance were the AA, AB, AC, and AD series with luminaire mounting heights 

of 39 to 47 feet and with mast arms up to 15 feet in length. Your letter 

transmitted the Pendulum Test Report of Luminaire Support Pole with Anchor 

Base Test No. A-6 conducted by the Southwest Research Institute. It was 

accompanied by detailed information on the manufacture of the poles and 

catalog pages showing the subject poles. You also submitted supplemental 

information, received July 17 and October 17, which included design drawings 

of the coupler and the anchor base. 

The test article was a series AD-45 pole with a single a-foot mast arm. The 

base casting was 12 inches high as specified for all poles in this height 

range. Other details of the tested hardware are,shown in Enclosure 1 which 

consists of a drawing of the tested pole and base, and a drawing of the tested 

breakaway coupler. The test used an instrumented 1,800-pound pendulum fitted 

with a 10 stage crushable nose which simulates a 1979 Volkswagen Rabbit. Test 

results including measured and extrapolated velocity changes are shown below: 

Change in velocity, 20 m.p.h. test ............. 7.8 feet-per-second 

Change in velocity, 60 m.p.h. calculated ....... 9.4 feet-per-second 

Stub height .......... ..^ ....................... 4.0 inches 

Weight of test article ......................... 444 pounds 

Bolt circle diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . ..__........... 15.5 inches 

Through discussions with you, and from reviewing the test data, including the 

test films, we have determined that the base casting design is critical for 

proper breakaway performance of poles in the 39 to 47-foot range. Your part 

number 37-60-0213-10 (shown in a drawing dated 3-14-88)‘is the base specified 

for the poles for which you have requested acceptance. This base is 12 inches 

high, with a bottom flange thickness of 1 3/4 inches and a minimum socket wall 

thickness of 0.445 inches, (57/128 inches). 
2 

Your letter requested acceptance for poles to be used with arms up to 15 feet 

in length. Calculations you submitted earlier indicate that such mast arms 

have a minimal effect on the velocity change during an impact. Therefore, our 

acceptance includes poles with up to two 15-foot mast arms. This would permit 

a total weight of pole, arms, and luminaires of 510 pounds. 

The information discussed above shows that the actual tests and calculated 

changes in velocity of the pole-base combinations for which you have requested 

acceptance meet the change in velocity and stub-height requirements adopted by 

the FHWA. Therefore, they are acceptable for use on Federal-aid projects when 

requested by a State. Enclosure 2 consists of catalog pages showing the 

acceptable poles. 

This acceptance is limited to breakaway characteristics of the pole-basecoupling combination and does not cover the structural capacity of the 

combination. Presumably, you will supply potential users with sufficient 

information on structural design and installation requirements to ensure 

proper performance. We anticipate that the States will require certification 

from Shakespeare that the poles (including bases and mast arms) and couplings 

furnished have essentially the same chemistry and mechanical properties as 

those used in the tests and geometries consistent with those herein accepted, 

and that they will meet the FHWA change in velpcity requirements. 

Sincerely yours, 

L. A. Staron 

Chief, Federal-Aid and Design Division 

2 Enclosures 
NOtiS: 

I- Weight: 397 lbs. Including Arm 

2- CataloqNunkr: SD45-lEN5BBol 

I 

Lt 

- 8’ 

1 

ENCLOSURE 1 

0 . D . 

I . D . 

1 3/4" Dia. Hole 

11/16" Dia. tble(2) 

45' 

ramting 

might 

r 2 l/2" x 5" 

Hadhde Wbver 

I/- 

A.luninunBase 

h 

431-l" 

JkztualpOle 

mgth 

f 

Bm&dWith4rp(y. 

Mhssive 

-+ +12" O.D. 

15" - 16" Bolt Cixcle 

L 1.5" x 2" slot(I) 

c 

I I I 

ITEM PART NUYSER I DESCRIPllDw’ I ’ YAlERlAL 
. . 

, 

I I 1 

,:::, . . 

; 

1 

- ..’ 

(USE ‘L~*DIA. 60’ 

DOUBLE ANGLE 

-rY P. 

(C) EQUAL DlVlSlONS 

.050 

TYP 

TOP STUD, THfiEADED 

No - SPC IO\2 , 

TAP I’-a UNC. - ZB ‘. 

x’ 3.000’ FlJl_l_. No’: D@m. 

r’ : ‘.. 

* ;._’ 

. . 
(SEE DRAWING NO. 3-1000 

COUPLING DIXENSIONS) 

: I -_ I 

-_ :

_ - 

t 

_ _ - -, 

_ - _ - 

_i_ 

+ 

z.. 

NEII OR 

RETROFIT 

FOR 

KEY 

“POLE-SAFE” ALUMINU” DIE CAST COVPLlNG 

0 

THREADED STVD - STAINLESS STEEL 

HEX N”T OR ALUCIINUM TORQVE LIMITING NV, 

FLAT VAS”ER 1 314”O.D. WILL ACCOMMODATE 1 S/16” MAX. 

BASE SLOT WIDTH) 

FLAT WASHER 2”O.O. (WILL ACCOW,OOATE I S/lb” MAX. 

BASE SLOT YIDTH) 

@ 

INSIDE THREAD FOR ANC”OI BOLT - ANC”OR BOLT LENGT” 

REQ”lRE0 ABOVE FO”NOATI0”: 2 II?” TO 3” 

0 

CO”PLIN6 SPI’CER SK1117 

POLE RISE PLATE - ASSEIIBL” VlLL ACCOPAOOATE 1 II?” 

MAX. BASE PLATE THlCKNESS 

m: MATERIALS SHALL BE AS PER MRNUFACTURER’S SPECIFICATIONS 

SPEClAL INSTALLATION NOTE: SUPPORT COUPLINS IS TO BE INSTALLED IIV’ TO 313” OFF 

WE FOUNDATION. 

COUPLING CAN BE ADJUSTED FOR.LEVELING WITHIN THIS RANGE. 

RETROFIT FOR 

T-BASE 
SHAFT 

LENGTH 

47 47 226 6.2 11:7 19 300 15k2" A?& 

47 47 320 6.4 11.8 18 300 15 k2" RI347 

47‘ 47 370 6.6 11.9 19 MO Ebb x47 

47 47 445 6.9 12.0 18 300 I5 bi Am7 

-- 
- A 

9” 

- 

t 

. 

SHAFT 

LENGTH 
USHTFUEWlTHFOWlUASTAlWS 

SHAFT 

LENGTH 

- 

m 

t 

- 

. II 

@ I 

0 
SHAFT 

LENGTH t WASHEA 
SHAFT 

LENGTH 

- 

_. 
8” 

f 

SHAFT 

LENGTH 

47 44 326 6.4 11.8 18 75 tsy AB47 

47 44 375 6.6 11.9 18 75 &c47 

* 

47 44 450 6.9 12.0 18 75 &AD47 
SHAFT _..-_.. 

40 1 V 1 3Ed 1 66 1 it5 1 lt! 1 75 1 30 I 05 I - I isA" I kc(wz5 

40 1 3r 1 432 ] u I li6 I 18 I 7.5 1 32' I 30 I 06 Il5n-l AOa?5 

45 1 42' I 476 I 69 [ 120 1 18 I 75 I 32' ) 15 I - IlS'h"l AM5.25 

SHAFT 

LENGTH