Mapeamento da dureza superficial e incidências patológicas nos postes de energia/iluminação pública na região de Guarapuava – PR

Abstract

Reinforced concrete poles are essential elements for the proper functioning of a city; they should be durable and resistant. Damages can lead to failures, accidents, and collapses. Therefore, inspections and assessments of concrete quality and the degree of deterioration of these structures are crucial. The main objective of this study is to map the surface hardness and evaluate pathological incidents in public lighting and/or power poles in the Guarapuava region, PR. The study assessed a total of 250 street lighting/power poles from five different neighborhoods through on-site visual inspections and sclerometer testing. The evaluations were based on the Technical Specifications Manual of the local power distribution company and the GDE/UnB Methodology. After the visual inspection and non-destructive testing, it was possible to assess the concrete quality and the degree of deterioration of the poles in the region. Overall, the concrete quality was found to be good, although some poles showed various pathological manifestations. The most common pathological manifestations observed in the entire region were stains (25,50%), efflorescence (22,40%), cracks (15,97%), and other pathologies (36,13%). Regarding the degree of deterioration, 93% of the analyzed poles showed a low level of deterioration. Therefore, it is evident that the recommended course of action to preserve these urban assets is preventive maintenance, aiming to minimize the relationship between maintenance costs and the level of deterioration of these structures. When relating the degree of deterioration to the sclerometer index and the age of urban equipment, it was observed that the explanatory power for both models was poor, indicating no direct correlation between the variables analyzed in this study.