Non-destructive condition assessment of utility wood pole assets, with severity of decay measurement capability, a more reliable enabler for life extension and refurbishment optimisation

Traditional SBE inspection methodology, while effective in detecting advanced decay, cannot reliably detect early-stage decay and cannot detect incipient decay. The ability to detect early stages of decay enable asset management to start treatment 5-7 years earlier or enhance monitoring of impacted assets. Starting treatment earlier will slow down the decay process and extend the safe service life of wooden overhead line (OHL) assets. NDE methods avoid boring the pole which (a) damages fibers in the area of maximum bending stress near ground-line (GL) and (b) avoids creating a path for water and oxygen to break through the preservative layer into the virgin wood risking decay propagation or acceleration. This paper describes an ultrasound

NDE method that can detect all stages of decay without damaging the pole fibers. This technology is data driven, eliminating subjectivity and storing data collected for further assessment if necessary. A comparative study between an ultrasound NDE and the four-point bending destructive test was conducted and the result proved the ability of the ultrasound NDE to detect all stages of decay, enabling more reliable and effective pole maintenance, enabling longer average life expectancy for wooden asset stocks.