WIND LOAD ASSESSMENT ON LATTICE COMMUNICATION TOWERS

Lattice communication towers have become ubiquitous with the expansion of the communication networks. All the major codes have provisions for design of such structures. The Eurocodes have become mandatory replacing the British codes in Europe. In Malaysia, the MS 1553:2002 have provisions for design of such structures but BS 8100:1986 is also used. So a comparison of the calculation of wind load on lattice structures using MS 1553:2002, BS 8100: 1986, IS 875:Part 3: 1987, AS 3995:1994 and BS EN 1993-3-1:2006 is appropriate. This paper brings out the differences and similarities in the calculation of wind loads using the codes. Using a 30m tower as example, the wind forces acting on the panels at different heights have been evaluated and compared.