Safety Comes First

Conducting measurements at night

The purpose of the measurements was to determine whether the light poles still meet all safety requirements. After all, as the managing authority, Rijkswaterstaat always wants to ensure the safety of everyone who uses the roads. Furthermore, major investments can be postponed if it turns out that the poles still have years of service life left. Ger Patje is an advisor on the Asset Management Team at Rijkswaterstaat. He explains more about the background and details of the measurements.

How long can a light pole last?

“Due to budget cuts over the past 15 years, streetlight poles are being replaced later than originally planned. On average, we estimate that a pole can last 30 to 40 years. But in practice, they often last even longer. That’s why we at Rijkswaterstaat would like to know the condition of our poles, because we want to prevent them from becoming unsafe and toppling over—for example, due to wind loads above a viaduct. Fortunately, we can have their stability and other factors measured.”

Three types of measurements

The measurements are carried out by Normec Rei-Lux, the market leader in this field. This is done in three ways: a static 3D measurement (measuring stability), a dynamic 3D measurement (measuring vibration behavior), and a dynamic 3D rotational measurement (to measure the frequency and speed at which the mast exits its natural frequency). The end result for Rijkswaterstaat is a handy map that immediately shows which mast was measured when and what its status was at that time. If it is determined that any masts need to be replaced within a certain timeframe, Normec Rei-Lux will also indicate this.

Safety and Responsibility

“In collaboration with the subcontractor that maintains the lighting, Normec Rei-Lux conducted the measurements at night,” says Ger Patje. “There’s quite a bit involved, because safety comes first. For us at Rijkswaterstaat, that safety and responsibility also apply when it comes to the light poles. Based on the measurement data, we know how much longer we can keep our current light poles in place. The decision to proceed with replacement is often quite complex, because other maintenance tasks are carried out at the same time. That’s why it’s important to assess everything now.”