ASTM D1036-99

Standard Test Methods of Static Tests of Wood Poles

SCOPE
1.1 These test methods cover determination of the bending strength and stiffness of wood poles. Knowledge of these properties is used in providing for reliable and economical design with poles of different species, size, or grade.  
1.2 Two test methods are included: the cantilever test method, and the machine test method.  
1.3 Provision is also made for extracting small clear specimens from the butt section and determining static bending and compression parallel to grain strength values in accordance with Methods D143.  
1.4 The procedures specified in these test methods apply to tests of either treated or untreated material.  
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. SI values are given in parentheses and are provided for information only.  
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Oct-1999
• ICS: 79.040 - Wood, sawlogs and sawn timber
• Technical Committee: D07 - Wood
• Drafting Committee: D07.04 - Pole and Pile Products

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM D1036-99(2005) - Standard Test Methods of Static Tests of Wood Poles
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2005
• Referred By: ASTM D7381-07(2021)e1 - Standard Practice for Establishing Allowable Stresses for Round Timbers for Piles from Tests of Full-Size Material
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1999

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D 1036 – 99
Standard Test Methods of
Static Tests of Wood Poles
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 1036; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
One of the important factors involved in the design and economical use of poles for the support of
aerialcommunicationandpowerlinesisthevalueofthemaximumfiberstressforthedifferentspecies
of timber used for poles. In order to gain information on this characteristic, mechanical tests on pole
size specimens have been made by numerous investigators. These tests have been made in various
manners, such as the use of a testing machine, holding the pole butt horizontally in a crib and applying
the load at the tip, setting poles in the earth and applying the load at the tip, etc. The amount of
seasoning the test poles have received and the type of preservative treatment applied to the poles are
additional variables. The result is that it is difficult, if not impossible, to obtain sufficient information
pertaining to the various tests to permit accurate comparisons.
It is the purpose of these test methods to cover testing procedures in sufficient detail so that the
results of tests made in accordance with the test methods defined will be comparable. It is, of course,
not intended that using other test methods that may be better adapted to a particular investigation
should be discouraged. However, experience gained from tests of several hundred poles has indicated
the test methods specified are entirely practicable.
The data forms presented have been found to be convenient for recording the test data and for
making the calculations necessary for the proper analysis of the test results.
1. Scope priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.1 These test methods cover determination of the bending
strength and stiffness of wood poles. Knowledge of these
2. Referenced Documents
properties is used in providing for reliable and economical
2.1 ASTM Standards:
design with poles of different species, size, or grade.
D 143 Methods of Testing Small Clear Specimens of Tim-
1.2 Two test methods are included: the cantilever test
ber
method, and the machine test method.
D 198 Test Methods of Static Tests of Timbers in Structural
1.3 Provision is also made for extracting small clear speci-
Sizes
mens from the butt section and determining static bending and
2.2 ANSI Standard:
compression parallel to grain strength values in accordance
O5.1 Specifications and Dimensions for Wood Poles
with Methods D 143.
1.4 The procedures specified in these test methods apply to
3. Summary of Test Methods
tests of either treated or untreated material.
3.1 Major Tests:
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
3.1.1 In the cantilever test method the pole is supported
as the standard. SI values are given in parentheses and are
securely from butt to ground line in a horizontal position, and
provided for information only.
a load is applied near the pole tip by means of a pulling line.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.1.2 In the machine test method, the pole is supported near
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
the butt and tip, and a load is applied at the ground line by the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
moving head of a mechanical testing machine.
3.1.3 Determinations of age, rate of growth, moisture, and
density are also made.
These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-7 on
Wood and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D07.04 on Pole and Pile
Products. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.10.
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 1999. Published April 2000. Originally Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th
published as D 1036 – 49 T. Last previous edition D 1036 – 98. Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D 1036
3.2 Minor Tests:
Age in service (if pole had been in service)
Age of pole since treatment
3.2.1 Small clear specimens are taken from the butt section
Source of pole (supplier, region and climate), if pole had been in service
ofthetestedpolesforthedeterminationofstrengthvaluessuch
Classification standard
as static bending, compression parallel to grain, toughness,
Condition of pole (decay, woodpecker holes, splits), if pole had been
in service
compression perpendicular to grain, and hardness. The overall
objectives of the program will determine which of these tests
8. Field Marking
are desired.
8.1 Each specimen shall be legibly marked on the butt with
4. Significance and Use
its length, class, and source of supply, in accordance with the
4.1 Tests of wood poles are made to determine:
requirements of ANSI O5.1 using such symbols as may apply
4.1.1 Data for use in establishing allowable stresses, to each specimen.
4.1.2 Data upon which to base economical pole line design,
4.1.3 Data on the strength properties of different species in
CONDITIONING AND MEASURING OF
pole sizes,
SPECIMENS FOR TESTING
4.1.4 Data as to the influence of defects on the strength
properties of poles,
9. Conditioning
4.1.5 Data as to the effect of preservatives and preservative
9.1 Two basic procedures for conditioning and moisture
treatments on the strength properties of poles, and
content are provided as follows:
4.1.6 Data for correlating the strength properties of full-size
9.1.1 Test Method A, providing for air seasoning and butt
poles with those of small clear specimens of the same species.
soaking of poles prior to test.
4.2 Treating procedures to which poles have been subjected
9.1.2 Test Method B, providing for tests of poles in the
may introduce variables that prohibit direct comparisons be-
full-length green condition.
tween different groups of data. Complete information on the
treating techniques shall form a part of the test records.
NOTE 2—Test Method A, providing for butt soaking of poles after
seasoning, has been used as a preconditioning test method when it is
COLLECTION OF MATERIAL
desired to provide tests simulating, as nearly as possible, actual field use
under certain climatic conditions.
5. Identification
Test Method B, providing for tests of poles in the green condition, has
5.1 Thematerialfortestshallbeselectedbyonequalifiedto been used where the stability of moisture-strength relationships thus
establishedisparticularlydesiredforcomparisonbetweenspecies,grades,
identify the species.
and testing procedures, and for establishing relationship of strength
between full-size poles and that of small clear specimens taken from the
6. Number of Major Specimens
pole material.
6.1 For each species under investigation it is desirable that
a minimum of 50 specimens be selected for test. The poles
10. Alternative Conditioning Requirements
shall be carefully chosen as representative of the commercial
10.1 Test Method A—All poles tested shall be air-seasoned
product being supplied.
on skids at least 2 ft (600 mm) above the ground. Prior to
NOTE 1—Tests may be conducted to study the effect of some particular
testing, the butt sections (from the groundline to the butt) shall
characteristic and in such cases the selection of test specimens shall be
besoakedinwaterinordertobringthemoisturecontentofthis
made in such a manner as to ensure that the range of the characteristic
section equal to or above the fiber saturation point. Butt
under study has been adequately sampled.
soaking shall be conducted in a manner to prevent decay and
withthepolesinaverticalposition.Moisturedeterminationsof
7. Field Notes
the butt section shall be made by means of increment borings.
7.1 Field notes fully describing the material shall be care-
The determinations shall be made by using the portions of the
fully made by the collector. These notes shall, so far as
borings nearest the pole surface with a length of boring equal
possible, supply data outlined as follows and shall be incorpo-
to one-half the pole radius.
rated into the test records:
FIELD NOTES
NOTE 3—For the purposes of these test methods, poles will be
Project No.
considered air-seasoned when two successive determinations made one
Locality cut
week apart indicate the moisture content of the pole to have reached a
County
practically constant value at or below 22 %.
Slope . Elevation
Undergrowth
10.2 Test Method B—All poles to be tested shall be selected
Crown
Soil in the green condition and shall be tested before any seasoning
Shipment No.
has taken place. If there is any delay in testing which would
Species
result in seasoning, this shall be prevented by proper storage,
Date cut
Seedling or sprout preferably by full-length immersion in water. If other methods
How and when transported from woods
of maintaining the green condition are employed, care shall be
Age of tree in years
exercised to prevent the development of stain or decay. Special
Treatment
Seasoning
moisture determinations of the test sections are not required
Preservative retention
prior to test (Section 25).
D 1036
11. Initial Measurements 12.2 A support B shall be provided at a point about three
quarters of the distance from the ground line to the point of
11.1 Before placing a pole in the testing apparatus, a record
load application to minimize vertical movement at that point
shall be made of the following items:
and reduce the stress from the weight of the pole. This support
11.1.1 Weight,
11.1.2 Length to the nearest 1 in. (25 mm), shall be such that any friction associated with the deflection of
11.1.3 Class, the pole under load shall not be a significant portion of the
11.1.4 Circumferenceatbutt,attip,andatthegroundlineto
measured load on the pole.
the nearest ⁄16 in. (1.5 mm),
12.3 As a pole is placed in the testing apparatus, it shall be
11.1.5 Diameter of each knot over ⁄2 in. (13 mm) in
rotated to align the pole so as to minimize out-of-plane shear
diameter and its location on the surface of the pole relative to
stresses due to torque. The pole shall be shifted longitudinally
the butt and to the longitudinal center line of the face of the
until its ground line coincides with the front face of the crib,
pole, and
and then it shall be secured firmly in place (see 12.1). A
11.1.6 Any possible strength reducing defects observed
wooden saddle C, Fig. 1, with a concave surface on the pole
other than knots, such as sweep, crook, checks, shakes, spiral
side and rounded edges, shall be placed against the pole to
grain, insect damage, etc.
prevent injury to the ground-line section. This saddle shall be
STATIC BENDING TESTS OF POLES made of wood at least as soft as the pole under test and shall
Cantilever Test Method have dimensions as shown in Fig. 2.
12. Apparatus
13. Load
12.1 Aschematic drawing of the testing apparatus and field
13.1 The load shall be applied at a point 2 ft (600 mm) from
layout for conducting the tests is shown in Fig. 1. For
the tip of the pole by a power winch, or other means of
convenience of reference, the principal features of the layout
sufficient capacity and capable of pulling at a constant rate of
are denoted on the drawing by capital letters. The pole to be
speed. The pulling line shall be kept level between the winch
tested shall be held securely from the butt to the ground line in
position and the point where load is applied to the pole. The
the crib A. The crib shall be built in such a manner that there
load shall be applied continuously until the pole fails, and at
willbenosignificantmovementofthepolebuttduringthetest.
Thedesignofthecribandholdingdevicesshallbesuchthatall such a rate of speed as to cause a deflection at the point of load
vertical and rotational motion of the pole shall be prevented. of N in./min (mm/min), as determined by the equation:
FIG. 1 Schematic Layout of Field Mechanical Tests of Wooden Poles
D 1036
(a) Wooden Saddle, Solid or Laminated as Shown for Cradle.
(a) Wooden Saddle, Solid or Laminated as Shown for Cradle.
FIG. 2 Saddle and Cradle
is a calibrated metal tension bar fitted with calibrated electric-
N 5 2pZL /3C (1)
t
type strain gages, suitably wrapped or housed for protection
against shock when the pole breaks. This method permits
where:
remote reading of loads and minimizes the possibility of
N = rate of deflection, in./min (mm/min),
personal injury during test. Alternatively, where electric-type
Z = rate of fiber strain, in./in.·min (mm/
straingagingequipmentisnotavailable,loadmaybemeasured
mm·min) = 0.0010, the value specified in Test Meth-
by a dynamometer of suitable capacity, graduated in 50-lb
ods D 198,
(200-N) divisions. Calibration of the dynamometer shall be
L = lever arm, in. (mm), and
checked at frequent intervals during the tests. The load-
C = circumference at point of load application, in. (mm).
t
measuringdeviceshallbesupportedonasledorcradlemoving
on a suitable platform or level space.The sled or cradle and the
14. Pulling Line
surface on which it moves shall be such that the force required
14.1 The pulling line shall be secured around the pole at the
to pull it shall not add materially to the measured load on the
load point. The load measuring device shall be placed in series
pole.
with the pulling line and the line to the winch with a
free-running swivel on each side of it.
17. Deflections
15. Winch Positions 17.1 The deflection of the pole at the point of load shall be
measured at such intervals of load as to provide not less than
15.1 If the winch G, Fig. 1, is set far enough away from the
15 simultaneous readings of load and deflection. A greater
pole to make the angle between the initial and final positions of
numberofreadings(25to40)ispreferred.Themeasurementof
the pulling line small, the error in assuming that the pull is
the deflection of the load point shall be made in a direction
always perpendicular to the original direction of the pole axis
perpendicular to the unloaded position of the pole axis. A
will be negligible. The winch shall be located at the positions
measurementofthemovementoftheloadpointtowardthebutt
given in Table 1.
resulting from the deflection shall also be made at each
16. Load Measurement
increment of load.
16.1 Load shall be measured by a suitable measuring device
NOTE 4—These measurements may be facilitated if a piece of plywood
placed in series in th
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