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Third-Party Substantiation of KAEG Monopole Detailed Design – Design Supervision Level (DSL) Relating to Reliability Class-3 (RC3) to EN1990 & EN 1090

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Recently we completed the detailed engineering design of a brand-new tower. We were required to put our engineering design through third-party substantiation in accordance with design codes EN 1990 & 1090 which recommends independent verification by third-party company on the engineering of High Consequence Class structures.

It was great to see the that the outcome of the substantiation process fully agreed with out design results. The outcome demonstrates KAEG due diligence, efficient and quality delivery to our stakeholders. Our detailed but simple reporting/presentation facilitates the reproduction of our solution by independent third-party companies. The substantiation shows 95.3% agreement between KAEG design and analysis and the third-party company.

Contact our expert team at: info@ka-engroup.com to learn more and discuss how we can best serve your needs.
Uncategorized

Flange Assembly Design and Strengthening Using 3D FEA

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The assessment of monopole base flange and hold-down bolts (HDB) assembly is often overlooked by structural designers and consultants. It is generally assumed that this assembly is structurally suitable and less critical. Furthermore, in cases where they have been assessed, crude analytical methods are adopted which results in over-conservative or under-designs.

We are finding that an increasing number of structures are being decommissioned before their useful life due to over-stressed flange and HDB assembly as it can be expensive to engineer and implement a suitable strengthening solution.

KAEG are at the forefront of adequate engineering of new structures and providing cost-effective strengthening solutions to over-stressed but underutilised structures to ensure continuous safe operations.

Contact our expert team at: info@ka-engroup.com to learn more and discuss how we can best serve your needs.
Company News

Pushing the Boundary of Engineering Design of Met-Mast and Telecom Masts

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KAEG started 2019 by delivering the engineering design of a 110m lattice tower for telecommunication and meteorological operations in mainland Europe.

This design included the application of detailed wind action on the structure accounting for terrain roughness, orography, turbulence, and structural dynamic factor. However, in addition to the typical environmental load combinations of wind and ice, National regulatory standards required that the lattice tower also satisfy earthquake (seismic) loading.

The design and analysis considered tower important class IV (typical for uninterrupted emergency services response and communications) to ensure that the tower remains operational during and after seismic events.

The design was delivered to accelerated schedule and in accordance with EN 1998-4:2004 and EN 1998:6-2005. This was a challenging but successful project with excellent client feedback on how KAEG team handled and delivered itemised scope to high professional standards.

Contact our expert team at: info@ka-engroup.com to learn more and discuss how we can best serve your needs.
Uncategorized

KAEG Visit to Helping Hand Charity

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KAEG visited the Charity Helping Hand to show our support and appreciation for their good work. KAEG made a charitable contribution to Helping Hand to mark this season of sharing and goodwill.

Helping Hand supports the immediate needs of children and their parents at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. The organisation provided a great deal of support for one of staff during a challenging episode when a family member was involved in an accident.

Although still in relative infancy, we at KAEG are very clear about what kind of company we want to be: the kind that shares its successes no matter how small or large with its community. As we celebrate this season we encourage everyone to stop and reflect on how we can support others in dire need with our time and resources.

At KAEG, we take the welfare of our staff seriously. We do not count numbers but unique individuals who are also entitled to succeed as they contribute to the success of KAEG business and stakeholders. As such, KAEG’s visit to Helping Hand is dedicated to the memory of a dear loved family member of one of our staff who is more than a colleague.
Uncategorized

Telecoms: Installation Witnessing of Tower and Foundation Design

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Great to see one of our detailed engineering design of lattice tower foundation successfully constructed in a challenging terrain with technical support and witnessing provided by one of our seasoned KAEG engineers. KA Engineering Group not only completes structural due diligence for all telecommunication support structures, we take pride in extending operators’ assets life, optimising and improving capacity whilst ensuring confidence and enhancing in-service safety. We take responsible steps to consider, advise, and optimise each site, ensuring cost effective design, installation, and maintenance for build contractors and efficient utilisation for operators.

We are finding that an increasing number of towers (lattice and monopoles), standard or bespoke are being sanctioned to meet growing demand from telecommunications and meteorological services. These towers require expert structural engineering with flexibility to conform to British Codes and Standard, European Design Standards, and other international Design Standards in-line with the region of operations and operators’ requirement. The engineering must be holistic, taking into consideration safety and quality which feeds into activities such as procurement, fabrication, delivery, and installation maximise cost efficiency and minimise delivery schedule.

Please contact our expert team at: info@ka-engroup.com to learn more and discuss how we can best serve your needs.
Announcements, Industry News, Uncategorized

Detailed Structural Design and Analysis of Lattice (GDC)

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Great to see one of our detailed engineering design schemes successfully fabricated, delivered to site, and ready to be installed. We are finding that an increasing number of towers (lattice and monopoles), standard or bespoke are being sanctioned to meet growing demand from telecommunications and meteorological service.

These towers require expert structural engineering to ensure that the build is cost efficient and delivered to schedule. The engineering must be holistic, taking into consideration safety and quality which feeds into activities such as procurement, fabrication, delivery, and installation to avoid/minimise downtime in the process. The engineering is expected to be flexible in conformance to British Codes and Standard, European Design Standards, and other International Design Standards in-line with the region of operations and operators’ requirement.

KA Engineering Group not only completes structural due diligence for all telecommunication support structures, we take pride in extending operators’ assets life, optimising and improving capacity whilst ensuring confidence and enhancing in-service safety. We take responsible steps to consider, advise, and optimise each site, ensuring cost effective design, installation, and maintenance for build contractors and efficient utilisation for operators.

Contact our expert team at: info@ka-engroup.com to learn more and discuss how we can best serve your needs.
Uncategorized

Optimising and Improving Tower Capacity

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Great to see one of the engineering strengthening design schemes successfully fabricated and installed. We take pride in extending operators’ assets life, optimising and improving capacity to meet growing demands due to upgrades, ensuring confidence and enhancing in-service safety.

Increasing number of assets are being decommissioned due to the exceedance of tower capacity caused by growing demands to support technological upgrades involving bigger and heavier antennas. Appropriate engineering of these towers can help define and specify strengthening schemes to improve the tower capacity which can be cost and time effective benefits to operators and stakeholders.

KA Engineering Group not only completes structural due diligence for all telecommunication support structures, we also take further responsible steps to consider, advise, and optimise each site, ensuring cost effective design, installation, and maintenance for build contractors and efficient utilisation for operators. We are experienced in delivering structural design to European codes, British standards and other specified National and International design standards.

Contact our expert team at: info@ka-engroup.com to learn more and discuss how we can best serve your needs.
Training and Development

Assessing Wall and Connections for Reusable Wall Mounted Ancillary Steelwork

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In our previous blog (click here to read), we discussed the structural and health and safety concerns arising from the increasing number of wall mounted ancillary failures recorded in recent times. These failures are often due to the growing need to utilise existing wall mounted steelworks to support bigger and heavier antennas without appropriate structural assessment.

In this post, we offer advice on how to structurally assess reusable wall mounted steelwork for new installations. The advice is valid for both major types of mounted steelwork connections:

  • Chemical resin connection – where are anchors buried into the fabric of the wall.
  • Mechanical connection – where anchors are put through the wall and fixed to backing-plates on the inner wall fabric.

An appropriate structural engineering methodology to assess the suitability of existing wall mounted systems must include:

  1. Complete non-intrusive structural inspection of existing mounted steelwork to determine;
    • Type and condition of anchor connections to wall;
    • Nature and type of wall (block/brick work and mortar joints) including natural degradation leading to loss of integrity of wall capacity and connections;
    • Presence of though-wall or surface cracks;
    • Presence of internal face back-plates;
    • Installation near wall edges and on mortar joints;
    • Inadequate and porous resin around anchors and loosed bolts;
    • Existing steelwork dimensions;
  2. Structural testing of existing steelwork anchors to obtain wall pull-out proof loads in accordance with guidelines from the Construction Fixings Association (CFA);
  3. Numerical structural analysis of existing steelwork for the proposed new antennas/dishes incorporating findings from part (1) to;
    • Establish that the utilisation of existing steel work for new loads is within allowable capacity
    • Establish that the new anchor pull-out loads to compare are within pull-out test capacity obtained via intrusive inspection in part (2).

KA Engineering Group not only completes structural due diligence for all telecommunication, subsea risers, onshore and offshore renewable wind turbines support structure, we also take further responsible steps to consider, advise, and optimise each site/field, ensuring cost effective design, installation, and maintenance for build contractors and efficient utilisation for operators.

Contact our expert team at: info@ka-engroup.com to learn more and discuss how we can best serve your needs.