Effect of Holes Drilled Various Distances from the Edge of Douglas Fir Utility Poles Tested in Bending

What is it about?

Utility poles are one of the most important component of US infrastructure. To protect these poles from decay, the poles are treated with chemicals. One of the most common method is through boring, which required drilling holes in wooden pole to increase chemical penetration. These holes were perceived to decrease the mechanical properties of poles. This study investigate effect of holes on mechanical properties of utility poles using experiments and numerical models and finds that to a certain distance and diameter these holes do not matter.

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