Structure Maintenance - Communication Structures
The reliability of a structure depends on the quality of the materials and construction and adequacy of maintenance provided after installation. F.E.C. has a maintenance program, which involves planned inspections and repairs during the life of the structure. A typical inspection would cover the following:
| - Loose or missing bolts | - Evidence of soil creep or landslides |
| - Fatigue cracking | - Settlement |
| - Damage from structual overload | - Earthing integrity |
| - Vandalism | - Auxiliary antennas, mountings and feed systems |
| - Corrosion on galavising steelwork | - Maintenance of safety facilities |
| - Degraduation of paint systems | - Site Security |
| - Vibration | - Guyed mast vertically twist |
| - Lightning Damage | - Navigation Lighting |
| - Foundation deterioration and cracking | - Condition of insulators |
| - Loose or damaged guy wires and fittings | |
| - Ground surface erosion |
The intervals needed for inspection need to be in tune with the operational environment and structural/service function needs of the structure. The interval between maintenance inspections will depend on the following factors:
- Corrosion potential of the environment and the degree of protection required for maintenance of design reliability.
- Importance of the structure to its service
- Severity of local conditions
- Sensitivity to structural response
- Grounding conditions
F.E.C. recommend that an interval between inspections should be between one and three years according to the relative importance of the above factors.
