Source: ISOTRUSS INDUSTRIES LLC submitted to NRP
CRANE-LESS ISOTRUSS TOWER SOLUTIONS FOR MORE EXPANSIVE RURAL BROADBAND COVERAGE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SMALL BUSINESS GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1029944
Grant No.
2023-33530-39254
Cumulative Award Amt.
$124,931.00
Proposal No.
2023-01049
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jul 1, 2023
Project End Date
Feb 29, 2024
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[8.6]- Rural & Community Development
Recipient Organization
ISOTRUSS INDUSTRIES LLC
1364 WEST PLEASANT GROVE BLVD
PLEASANT GROVE,UT 840623254
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
As society further develops technologically, reliable broadband connections become an increasingly foundational resource used to access business, education, healthcare, public safety, and more. Financial burdens and physical isolation limit rural communities' ability to build the infrastructure to establish high speed broadband connections. Without the requisite infrastructure, rural areas are left to fading technologies, resulting in reduced business, outdated education, and spotty healthcare, to say the least. IsoTruss seeks to design a tower and installation system that will eliminate those roadblocks to infrastructure, expanding the reach and quality of internet service to rural America.IsoTruss will use the Phase I project to prove the feasibility of the crane-less tower technology. The objectives are to generate a tower design and installation plans for a crane-less deployment; to evaluate many potential crane-less tower solutions with respect to cost, time, and safety; and to locate a future proof-of-concept site with an interested customer. By the end of Phase I IsoTruss will complete a baseline design and analysis and be ready to move forward with prototyping and a proof-of-concept deployment in future projects. Once developed and tested, the IsoTruss crane-less tower technology will be commercialized with the intent to assist in establishing infrastructure in any location regardless of distance or topography.
Animal Health Component
20%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
20%
Developmental
70%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
40274102020100%
Knowledge Area
402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment;

Subject Of Investigation
7410 - General technology;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering;
Goals / Objectives
Design and analyze crane-less installation methods for IsoTruss towersEvaluate various crane-less construction methods comparing cost, time, and safetyLocate a site for a proof-of-concept build
Project Methods
TO1: Design and AnalyzeThe first objective of the project is to create a design for an IsoTruss tower with joint connections that can be installed without a crane. An IsoTruss tower will be designed using standard design procedures meeting Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) requirements and composite infrastructure standards in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). This design process will give an approximate tower weight that will be important in planning the crane-less construction methods.With an approximate tower weight, installation plans can be created. The plans will include a variety of methods to raise a tower without use of a crane including gin poles, horizontal tower assembly before tilting, and others. The recent Elk Mountain installation with the BLM used an existing structure to raise the tower without a crane. A similar method could potentially be used with the truck used to deliver the tower to the site. The installation plans will include as much detail as possible to be able to compare the different methods in Technical Objective 2.The installation methods will likely need adjustments to the connection method between tower sections and potentially to the tower design itself. Design adjustments and detailed analysis will be performed for the best designs based on the evaluation in Technical Objective 2 and customer feedback.IsoTruss has seen the value of early customer feedback on other projects. The IsoTruss engineering team will work closely with customer contacts to share project developments and solicit early input about the feasibility and desirability of the planned installation process. The customer feedback will also help narrow down potential design ideas during the conceptual phase before wasting design and analysis resources on unusable ideas.TO2: Compare MethodsIsoTruss will develop concepts for several installation methods that do not use cranes. The different methods will then be compared in cost, time, and safety. All crane-less methods will be compared to traditional installation methods. Even the best crane-less solution will likely not gain traction with customers if it comes at a significant cost or time premium compared to other installations. Lightweight IsoTruss towers already have the advantage in installation cost and time savings compared to steel, and reduction of installation costs has been an important selling point. Customers have estimated installation savings of up to 60% for IsoTruss towers compared to steel towers. IsoTruss will use installation comparison data from its previous US installations and available data from comparable steel installations. Reduction of cost and time are important, but safety is essential to the process. IsoTruss will ensure that any potential installation procedure is safe for everyone involved and any subpar options will be eliminated immediately from further consideration.TO3: Site LocationBased on previous experiences with proof-of-concept (POC) deployments, site selection can be one of the longest parts of the process. IsoTruss plans to get started on this process early with potential customers. IsoTruss has potential connections with rural broadband providers in Utah through the Utah Broadband Alliance as well as previous relationships with several Midwest rural providers. The project value proposition will be presented to these prospective customers and those interested will be kept informed of project developments. Selecting a potential site early in the process will also inform the design of the project such as the tower height and loading. This will allow IsoTruss to design a solution for an interested customer that is ready to be deployed within months of the completion of this Phase I project.

Progress 07/01/23 to 02/29/24

Outputs
Target Audience:This project was targeted to rural communities that need better connectivity. We had the opportunity to work with communities in Ohio, Utah, Florida, Wyoming, and California during this project. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?IsoTruss is sharing the results of the project with telecom companies that provide rural service. Since IsoTruss is located in Utah, many of the current relationships are with rural providers in Western states like Utah and California. IsoTruss created a one-page summary of the project to share broadly with various providers and a more in-depth technical summary to explain more details to those wanting to learn more. We are hopeful that building relationships now will help enable an opportunity for a pilot test of the technology as the project progresses. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Multiple crane-less installation methods were considered, including telescoping, tip up, and utilizing a gin pole. Telescoping involves fitting progressively smaller sections within each other. The tower can be erected by a crank system manned from the ground or fitted on the trailer used to transport the tower sections. The nesting tower sections also save space during transportation. Analysis showed that an IsoTruss telescoping solution would require the development of new tooling to create nesting IsoTruss sections as well as new attachment methods between sections which increased both proposed cost and development time of the telescoping method. A gin pole system uses pulleys to lift each section allowing the tower to be assembled section by section. The method was set aside due to safety concerns. The process utilizes relatively simple and inexpensive equipment that could be transported with the same trailer used for the tower sections, however, it does require a technician to climb the tower during the installation process in order to attach each subsequent tower section and finally appurtenances. According to OSHA and the National Association of Tower Erectors, falls are the greatest hazard to tower technicians, so the complex safety requirements for a gin pole erection was significantly considered in the analysis. A tip up or tipping method involves assembling the tower horizontally on the ground and then tipping up the tower to vertical. Analysis showed that the trailer used to transport the tower sections to the deployment site could also be designed to tip up the tower which simplified equipment to transport and cost of the system. The tipping method removed the need to climb the tower during installation, could be developed with current tooling, and streamlined the installation process. For these reasons, tipping was chosen as the most promising method. After the tipping method was selected as the best option, a basic tipping system was designed as a trailer that would carry tower segments and convert into an installation base on site. The trailer can be pulled by a 4x4 vehicle and utilizes an A-frame as the fulcrum for tipping. The system was analyzed and redesigned. The final phase I design includes 4 independent wheel suspensions to aid in travel, extended legs to further stabilize the system during installation, a pulley and winch system to tip the tower, a detachable end piece, and a fishbone style interfacing connecting the system to the tower. The new system was evaluated for time, cost, and safety as compared to a traditional steel tower. The crane-less installation system is expected to reduce installation time to a single day, improve the safety conditions of the crew, and decrease the overall costs by an estimated 20%. The concept model for the crane-less installation trailer was shared with multiple potential customers that serve rural communities. IsoTruss was interested in feedback about the design as well as understanding potential locations where a proof-of-concept deployment could happen as the technology continues to develop. Initial feedback from customers was positive - reducing installation costs and difficulty seemed to be an actual need for customers. During Phase II, IsoTruss seeks to build a prototype system and test it with a potential customer that services rural communities. We will continue to follow-through with the remaining companies as well as maintain relationships with the initial responders.

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