LCM07

Version:
Issue Date:
Review By Date:
Owned By:
Authorised By:

1.1
August 2006
June 2008
Engineering Manager D & P
Executive Manager D & P

LINE CONSTRUCTION MANUAL LCM07

TOWER STRUCTURE SUPPLY AND

FABRICATION
REVISION TABLE
Version No

Date of Revision

1.0

June 2006

1.1

August 2006

Details of Amendment
Initial Release
Numbering changed to represent previous system used

The above table lists in summary the amendments which have been made with most recent issues of this standard. The table is
updated with each re-issue. The latest amendments within the documents are marked with a change indicator (|) in the outer
margin.

CONTACT
This standard is the responsibility of the
Development and Projects Division, ElectraNet.
Please contact the indicated owner of the standard
with any inquiries.

ElectraNet
52-55 East Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000
PO Box 7096, Hutt Street Post Office,
Adelaide, South Australia 5000
Ph (08) 8404 7966, Fx (08) 8404 7104

L I M I TATI O N O F L I A B I L I T Y AN D
D I S C L A I M E R O F W AR R A N T Y
ElectraNet makes no representation or warranty as
to the accuracy, reliability, completeness or
suitability for particular purposes of the information
in this document. ElectraNet and its employees,
agents and consultants shall have no liability
(including liability to any person by reason of
negligence or negligent misstatement) for any
statements, opinions, information or matter
(expressed or implied) arising out of, contained in
or derived from or for any omissions from the
information in this document, except in so far as
liability under any statute cannot be excluded.

2006 ElectraNet Pty Limited trading as ElectraNet. No part of this document may be
reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, taping or information retrieval systems) without the prior
written permission of ElectraNet.

LCM07

ElectraNet

TABLE OF CONTENTS
7.1

SCOPE.......................................................................................................................................................3

7.2

GENERAL................................................................................................................................................3

7.3

MATERIALS............................................................................................................................................3

7.4

FABRICATION........................................................................................................................................3

7.4.1
7.4.2
7.4.3
7.4.4

CUTTING, DRILLING, DEFORMATION AND PUNCHING OF MEMBERS......................................................3

BENDING.................................................................................................................................................4
ERECTION MARKS..................................................................................................................................4
GALVANIZING..........................................................................................................................................4

7.5

HANDLING, STORAGE AND TRANSPORT......................................................................................4

7.6

WELDING................................................................................................................................................4

7.6.1
7.6.2
7.6.3
7.7
7.7.1
7.7.2
7.7.3
7.7.4

GENERAL................................................................................................................................................4
QUALIFICATIONS.....................................................................................................................................4
WELD SPLICES........................................................................................................................................5
TESTS AND INSPECTIONS AT CONTRACTS WORKS................................................................5
INSPECTION.............................................................................................................................................5
MATERIAL TESTS....................................................................................................................................5
GALVANIZING TESTS...............................................................................................................................6
WELDING TESTS.....................................................................................................................................6

Version: 1.1

LCM07 Tower Structure Supply and Fabrication

Page 2 of 6

ElectraNet
LCM07

7.1 SCOPE

7.4 FABRICATION

This Section covers the material supply,

fabrication, galvanizing and testing of
components for lattice steel towers.

7.4.1Cutting,
Drilling,
Deformation
and
Punching of Members

7.2 GENERAL
All fabricated units shall be supplied in pieces
to be bolt assembled and shall be based on the
principles contained in AS3995, AS4100 and
requirements of Drawing A3 T000-0000000016 Fabrication Data Transmission
Tower Steelwork.
All components shall be fabricated using jigs
and machines such that close tolerances are
maintained and burred and sharp edges, weld
spatter, weld slag and galvanizing slag are
avoided.

7.3 MATERIALS
The towers shall be fabricated from 250 and
350 MPa yield steel in Australian Standard
sizes in accordance with AS/NZS3678 and
AS/NZS3679 unless otherwise approved in
writing by the Construction manager. The steel
shall be of L zero degree type. International
sizes and grades of steel may be approved for
use.
The steel shall be free from blisters, scale,
laminations or any other defects.
All material shall be clearly identified at all
stages of storage and fabrication by colour
coding and labels. Unidentifiable material
shall be rejected.
Tower bolts, nuts and flat washers shall
comply with the requirements of AS1559
unless otherwise approved.
Spring washers shall not be used.

Bolt holes shall be punched, drilled or subpunched and reamed to the diameters and edge
distances specified in the member detail
drawing.
All members shall be carefully cut and holes
accurately located, so that when members are
assembled the holes will be truly opposite
each other before being bolted. Steel shall be
fabricated to ensure that manufacturers
markings or embossing are not located in the
contact area of any splice plates.
Holes in material having a thickness exceeding
16 mm or exceeding the diameter of the holes
shall be drilled, other holes may be punched.
The diameter of the hole shall not exceed that
of the bolt by more than 1.5 mm, measured
before galvanizing for bolts 16 mm and less
and 2.0 mm for bolts greater than 16 mm
measured before galvanizing. In addition, the
diameter of the die used in the punching
machine shall exceed the diameter of the
punch by the minimum practical amount so as
to avoid excessive hole taper and consequent
heavy bearing stress on the bolt shank. In no
case shall the die exceed the punch diameter
by more than 12.5 per cent.
Deforming of members by swaging, opening
or closing angle legs shall only be permitted
where this detail has no detrimental effect on
the performance of the structural element.

7.4.2Bending
Bending of steel members shall comply with
Drawing A3 T000-0000-000016 Fabrication
Data Transmission Tower Steelwork.

7.4.3Erection Marks
Before galvanizing, all members shall be
stamped with an alphanumeric mark number
to identify the member and also a mark to
indicate the grade of steel. Unless a full test in

Version: 1.1

LCM07 Tower Structure Supply and Fabrication

Page 3 of 6

LCM07

ElectraNet

accordance with AS1391 is made, unidentified

steel shall be rejected.
This marking shall be carried out in such a
manner as to enable it to be clearly read after
galvanizing. The positioning of member
marks, except for packer plates, shall be such
that they are clearly visible after all
components of the tower are erected.
Only fully interchangeable members shall
have the same mark.

7.4.4Galvanizing
Steel sections shall have all burrs, sharp edges
and trademarks removed from faying surfaces.
All ferrous items shall be hot dip galvanized in
accordance with AS/NZS4680 after all
fabrication is completed. Bolts and nuts shall
be effectively hot dip galvanized in
accordance with AS1214.
The zinc coating shall be adherent, smooth,
continuous and thorough, free from lumps,
drips, blisters, gritty areas, uncoated spots,
acid and black spots, dross and flux or other
defects.
The mass of zinc coating per square metre of
surface area of ferrous items shall be not less
than 600 grams.
All
galvanized
steelwork,
including
reinforcement bars, shall be passivated in a
0.1% sodium dichromate solution or its
equivalent applied by the galvanizer.
After hot-dip galvanizing, the maximum
allowable bow, in any of the main members
shall not exceed 1 in 500 measured in any
plane. The Contractor shall provide steel
gauges of the stub type or other gauges
approved by the Superintendent, to enable
checking of any members considered
necessary.

7.5 HANDLING, STORAGE

AND TRANSPORT

Closed containers shall be used for marine

transport of imported steel.

7.6 WELDING
7.6.1General
Welding shall address workmanship and
quality issues as required by AS1554.1.
The Contractor shall submit appropriate
welding procedures for all proposed welding
fabrication processes utilising welding
equipment & consumables compatible with
design intent and shall be such as to minimise
weld defects, distortions or restraint.

7.6.2Qualifications
Welders shall be qualified for welding with the
equipment proposed, in the positions required
and for the steel grade used. Documentary
evidence of relevant prior experience by the
fabricator and the qualifications of the welding
personnel shall be submitted to the
Superintendent and welders shall be approved
by the Superintendent prior to commencing
work.
The Superintendent reserves the right to
conduct acceptance tests on any welders and
procedures.

7.6.3Weld splices
The welding of two or more lengths of
available sections to form a single straight
member of the required length will not be
permitted for leg and bracing members. Plug
welds shall only be permitted with approval of
the Superintendent.
Welding of two sections to form a bent
member shall require written approval from
the Superintendent. All such welds shall be
complete-penetration butt welds and subject to
100% visual and non-destructive examination.

Particular care shall be taken in the handling

and storage of galvanized steelwork to
minimise damage and avoid the occurrence of
"white rust". Reference should be made to the
provisions of AS/NZS4680.

Version: 1.1

LCM07 Tower Structure Supply and Fabrication

Page 4 of 6

ElectraNet
LCM07

7.7 TESTS
AND
INSPECTIONS
AT
CONTRACTS WORKS
7.7.1Inspection
The Contractor shall be responsible for quality
control and inspection of all materials and
processes of fabrication and galvanizing to
ensure that the materials and workmanship
comply with the requirements of the relevant
Australian Standards and this Specification.
However,
the
Superintendent
may
independently inspect and test materials,
fabrication and galvanizing.
The Contractor shall give the Superintendent
two weeks advance notice in writing of
fabrication and testing and furnish the
Superintendent with all test certificates for
materials and fabrication processes.
The Contractor shall carry out any reasonable
tests required by the Superintendent but not
specifically nominated in the Australian
Standards or this Specification, such tests
being at the Superintendent's expense except
where results show defective materials or
workmanship.
The Contractor shall repair or replace to the
satisfaction of the Superintendent, materials
and workmanship, which do not comply with
the relevant Australian Standard or the
Specification.

7.7.2Material Tests
All steelwork and material provided under this
Specification shall be subject to such tests and
inspections as are usual in the best practice
and as may be necessary in the opinion of the
Superintendent, to determine whether they
comply in all respects with this Specification
and to prove their safety and suitability for the
use to which they will be applied. These tests
shall include, but not be limited to, mill test
certificates of steel and production,
verification and referee tests of bolts in
accordance with AS1559.
Samples selected at random by the
Superintendent or his duly authorised
representative may be taken from this material
after it has been allocated for fabrication of

Version: 1.1

specific tower members and suitably

identified. The samples shall then be subject to
check tests. Should any specimen so tested fail
to meet the requirements, the procedure for
additional tests, if any, set out in the relevant
Australian Standards shall be carried out.
Failure of the check tests, unless stated
otherwise, shall result in rejection of the
material. The Contractor shall give every
assistance to the Superintendent representative
to enable a check to be made of the accuracy
of all instruments used during the tests either
by the production of a recently certified
calibration report for the instruments, or by
actual calibration of the instruments, against
accepted standard equipment, in the presence
of the Superintendent.
The Contractor shall bear the costs of all
members used for the tests required by this
sub-clause.

7.7.3Galvanizing Tests
One steel tower member, at the option of the
Superintendent shall be withdrawn from each
batch after galvanizing and test specimens
shall be taken and submitted to testing for
quality and weight of coating in accordance
with AS/NZS4680. The test specimens shall
have a minimum coated area of 600 mm 2.
The selected tower member shall be suitably
marked for identification with the batch it
represents and should the specimens taken
from it fail their tests, an additional tower
member or members sufficient to provide
twice the original number of specimens shall
be selected. Should the second series of tests
fail, the batch represented shall be rejected.
In the event of rejection a batch may be
stripped and regalvanized once only.
The tests shall be made in accordance with the
appropriate Standards previously listed in this
Specification for quality and for weight of
coating by stripping. The Contractor shall bear
the cost of all members used for the
galvanizing tests required by this sub-clause.

7.7.4Welding Tests
Non-destructive tests shall be carried out on
all welded joints in main load carrying
structural members and plug welds for
compliance with AS/NZS1554. The Contractor

LCM07 Tower Structure Supply and Fabrication

Page 5 of 6

LCM07

ElectraNet

shall be responsible for all costs associated

with this work.
The results of all welding tests shall be to the
satisfaction of the Superintendent. Upon
acceptance of the tests the Superintendent
shall authorise the manufacturer to proceed
with fabrication.
Where welding is carried out using automated
procedures or where repetitive welded
components are used the Superintendent may
permit random sampling for testing.
Non-destructive testing of welds shall be by
means of Visual Inspection and Magnetic
Particle examination plus either Radiography
or Ultrasonic examination by a suitably
qualified welding inspector.

Version: 1.1

LCM07 Tower Structure Supply and Fabrication

Page 6 of 6