Destructive testing a factor in Pole Failure

It’s been long understood that the destructive practice of ‘Sound Dig and Drill’ for assessing the strength and serviceability of a timber utility pole actually introduces added risk of rot and the degradation of strength.

Pictures paint a thousand words as they say and with this pole failure in Australia on Sunday Nov 14th 2021, the plain of failure runs precisely through the inspection holes.  This pole had a predicted serviceable life of a further 50 years and was being inspected by the distribution network every 5 years!

Research suggests that just a single drill path can weaken the integrity of a timber pole by 3% to 5%*!  When you consider the number of tests undertaken over the lifetime of a pole using this method, the potential extent that traditional pole inspection is actually contributing to safety risk and shortening the serviceable life of poles is frightening!

Thor Poletest™ is the world standard in non-destructive timber pole inspection systems, reliably and repeatably testing the integrity of the whole pole from tip to base as well as it’s foundation in just a single 1-minute inspection. 

Click here to find out more about the economic and safety advantages of these features contact us now about TotalPole™ and PolePosition™.

*Source: Trenorden, M. (2012). Unassisted failure. [Perth, W.A.]: Legislative Council.