Lighting Pole Technical Specification: How Should It Be Prepared?

A lighting pole technical specification defines not only the appearance of a lighting pole but also its material structure, dimensions, mechanical strength, surface protection, installation method, and quality control requirements. For lighting poles used on roads, streets, parks, squares, industrial facilities, and public projects, technical specification requirements should be prepared according to the specific conditions of each project. When preparing a specification, factors such as the installation location, luminaire weight, bracket structure, soil conditions, wind loads, and environmental effects should be evaluated together. Ekaldes develops lighting pole solutions for different applications by matching project requirements with appropriate production and engineering details, helping ensure a more controlled technical documentation and manufacturing process.

Table of Contents

1. What Is a Lighting Pole Technical Specification?
2. Essential Information Required in the Specification
3. How Should Material and Manufacturing Requirements Be Defined?
4. Wind Load and Mechanical Strength Criteria
5. Galvanizing, Coating, and Corrosion Protection
6. Installation, Anchor Bolts, and Foundation Details
7. Quality Control and Delivery Documentation
8. Benefits of Preparing an Accurate Technical Specification
9. Frequently Asked Questions
10. Conclusion

What Is a Lighting Pole Technical Specification?

A lighting pole technical specification is a project document that defines the technical characteristics a lighting pole must meet before manufacturing and installation. Pole height, body shape, steel or aluminum characteristics, welding method, base plate, bracket connections, service doors, and surface treatments are among the main subjects covered by the specification. A technical specification does not replace structural design calculations or engineering reports. Therefore, an existing specification should not simply be copied and applied to every project. Road classification, pole layout, intended application, environmental conditions, and local climate characteristics should all be evaluated separately. When project-specific requirements are not clearly defined, technically different products may be included within the same procurement or tender process. This can make comparison between suppliers more difficult and may create quality differences during manufacturing.

Essential Information Required in the Specification

A well-prepared specification should avoid vague expressions and focus on measurable technical requirements. At a minimum, the document should define:

• Intended application, type, and nominal height of the pole
• Steel, aluminum, or other body material specifications
• Bottom and top diameter, body shape, and wall thickness
• Number, length, angle, and luminaire connection dimensions of brackets
• Base plate, anchor bolts, and connection details
• Service door, fuse compartment, and cable entry openings
• Wind loads, luminaire weight, and additional project loads
• Galvanizing, painting, anodizing, or other surface protection requirements
• Welding, dimensional tolerances, testing, marking, and warranty criteria

In project-based solutions developed by Ekaldes, dimensions, connection points, bracket configurations, and installation details can be verified through technical drawings before manufacturing. This contributes to better coordination between project documentation and the final product.

How Should Material and Manufacturing Requirements Be Defined?

Material selection should be clearly described within the lighting pole technical specification. For steel lighting poles, the steel grade, sheet thickness, forming process, and production method should be specified. For aluminum poles, alloy grade, profile structure, and surface treatment requirements should be defined. Project requirements should also be checked against the current technical specifications published by TEDAŞ where applicable. The relevant sections of the EN 40 series provide important references for lighting columns. EN 40-5 covers requirements for steel lighting columns, while EN 40-6 addresses aluminum lighting columns. Depending on project requirements, other related standards may also apply. Manufacturing requirements should not be limited to general expressions such as “manufactured according to relevant standards.” The specification should clearly identify the required material grade, manufacturing process, welding quality, dimensional tolerances, and surface condition. Clear manufacturing requirements reduce uncertainty during production and help ensure that different suppliers prepare their offers according to comparable technical criteria.

Wind Load and Mechanical Strength Criteria

Wind load is one of the most important factors affecting the structural safety of a lighting pole. The calculation should not consider only the pole body. The wind-exposed area of the luminaire, bracket length, advertising panels, cameras, solar panels, decorative elements, and other additional equipment should also be included. For structural design based on EN 40-3-1, parameters such as site wind speed, terrain category, altitude, and topography may influence the design load. These factors should therefore be evaluated according to the actual installation location. Instead of writing only a general wind speed value in the specification, it is more appropriate to require structural calculations based on the project location and all equipment mounted on the pole. The pole body, bracket, base plate, and anchor system should be evaluated as a complete structural system. Any additional equipment installed after production may alter the load distribution and should therefore be considered during the design stage.

Galvanizing, Coating, and Corrosion Protection

Outdoor lighting poles are continuously exposed to rain, humidity, temperature changes, industrial pollution, and in some regions, salt and coastal conditions. For this reason, surface protection requirements should be selected according to the environmental conditions of the project. Hot-dip galvanizing is commonly used for steel lighting poles. Depending on architectural and environmental requirements, galvanized surfaces may also receive additional paint or protective coating systems. The galvanizing requirement should not simply state a random coating thickness. The applicable standard, material thickness, corrosion environment, measurement method, sampling method, and acceptance criteria should also be defined. For painted poles, the specification should include details such as:

• Color or RAL code
• Primer system
• Intermediate coating, if required
• Final coating type
• Total dry film thickness
• Surface preparation requirements

Projects located in coastal areas, industrial zones, or high-humidity environments may require enhanced corrosion protection systems.

Installation, Anchor Bolts, and Foundation Details

Even a properly manufactured lighting pole may not perform safely if the foundation and anchoring system are incorrectly designed or installed. Foundation dimensions should be determined according to pole height, base plate dimensions, anchor arrangement, wind load, soil bearing capacity, and local site conditions. For this reason, a single standard foundation size should not be applied to every project without engineering verification. Approved structural calculations and soil conditions should determine the final foundation design. The lighting pole technical specification should also define:

• Anchor bolt diameter and length
• Anchor material grade
• Nut and washer characteristics
• Anchor template dimensions
• Bolt spacing
• Embedment depth
• Concrete requirements
• Base plate connection details

During installation, pole verticality should be checked, cable entry orientation should comply with project drawings, and grounding connections should be completed correctly. Any gap between the base plate and concrete foundation should also be treated according to the approved installation method.

Quality Control and Delivery Documentation

Quality control should not be limited to visual inspection. Depending on the project requirements, dimensional inspection, welding examination, coating thickness measurement, material verification, and structural calculation review may be required. For public infrastructure and electricity distribution projects, TEDAŞ-approved lighting poles should be evaluated in line with current technical specifications and project requirements. The final delivery documentation may include technical drawings, material certificates, galvanizing or coating reports, structural calculations, test reports, product identification information, warranty documents, and installation instructions. Working with manufacturers such as Ekaldes, which considers both production and project requirements together, can make it easier to verify compliance between the approved technical specification and the delivered lighting poles.

Benefits of Preparing an Accurate Technical Specification

A clear and measurable lighting pole technical specification improves the entire process from supplier selection to installation. It reduces ambiguity, limits the risk of inappropriate materials being used, and enables different offers to be compared under similar technical conditions. An accurate specification can also help reduce additional costs that may arise later in the project due to unsuitable dimensions, inadequate corrosion protection, or incorrect installation components. Each technical requirement should therefore be connected to the actual needs of the project. Unnecessary restrictions should be avoided, while criteria that directly affect safety, durability, and product performance should be prioritized. A properly prepared specification becomes more than a procurement document. It becomes an important quality control tool throughout design, manufacturing, delivery, and installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall should a lighting pole be?

There is no single lighting pole height suitable for every project. Pole height should be determined according to road width, application area, luminaire light distribution, required illumination level, maintenance requirements, and photometric calculations.

What is the distance between lighting poles?

The distance between lighting poles depends on pole height, luminaire optics, road geometry, road width, lighting class, installation pattern, and required lighting uniformity. Therefore, spacing should be determined through lighting calculations rather than using a fixed general value.

Should galvanizing thickness be included in the technical specification?

Yes. However, the coating requirement should be defined according to the relevant standard, material thickness, corrosion environment, and project conditions. Measurement methods and acceptance criteria should also be included.

How is the foundation size of a lighting pole determined?

Foundation dimensions are determined based on factors such as pole height, base plate dimensions, anchor bolt arrangement, wind loads, soil bearing capacity, and structural calculations. A standard foundation dimension should not be applied to every project without engineering verification.

Is TEDAŞ approval required for every lighting pole?

Not necessarily. The requirement depends on the scope of the project, the authority responsible for acceptance, and the applicable procurement or electricity distribution requirements. For projects within electricity distribution systems or certain public infrastructure applications, current TEDAŞ specifications and approval requirements should be reviewed.

What should be included in a lighting pole specification?

A lighting pole specification should typically include pole height, material grade, body dimensions, wall thickness, bracket configuration, luminaire connection details, base plate, anchor bolts, surface protection, wind load requirements, welding requirements, quality control procedures, and delivery documentation.

Conclusion

A lighting pole technical specification is one of the most important documents for ensuring safety, durability, production quality, and correct installation. A comprehensive specification should define not only the pole height and material but also wind loads, bracket and luminaire loads, corrosion protection, anchoring systems, inspection requirements, and delivery documentation. By preparing technical requirements according to actual project conditions, designers, contractors, and manufacturers can reduce uncertainties throughout the project and improve product consistency. Ekaldes supports different infrastructure and lighting projects with lighting pole solutions developed according to project-specific technical requirements, from design and documentation to manufacturing.