Patent ID: 8104242

Claim:
A pole, comprising: an elongated metal outer casing defining a top, a bottom, an inner surface, an outer surface, and an elongated central vertical axis; a plurality of reinforcing strands located inside and adjacent to said outer casing and extending in the general direction of said elongated central vertical axis; a plurality of shear transfer connectors arranged at various elevations along said metal outer casing, each shear transfer connector projecting inwardly from said inner surface of said metal outer casing and at least some of said shear transfer connectors extending inwardly between two respective reinforcing strands; wherein said shear transfer connectors are elongated studs having first and second ends, with the first end secured to said outer casing and with an enlarged diameter at the second end; and a concrete core substantially filling said elongated metal outer casing from top to bottom, wherein said shear transfer connectors and said reinforcing strands are embedded in said concrete core; and including means for transferring shear forces between the metal outer casing and the concrete core through said shear transfer connectors; wherein said concrete core has a top, and further comprising: a post-tensioning plate adjacent the top of said concrete core, wherein said reinforcing strands extend through openings in said post-tensioning plate; and including means for at least some of said reinforcing strands to apply a force to the post-tensioning plate that causes the post-tensioning plate to apply a compressive force to the concrete core while not applying a compressive force to the metal outer casing.