What should be the distance between the lampposts?
The implementation of street lighting is much more complicated than domestic lighting. This is due to the existence of many rules and requirements. First of all, lighting should be as functional as possible, and the devices involved in it should have a long service life. If all norms are not observed, street lighting will not be effective. For its successful implementation, the most important point is the calculation of the interval between future poles for lamps. The arrangement of lighting poles in the city center is much easier than on its outskirts or in the private sector, not to mention the villages.
Basic principles of street lighting
To provide streets with light at night, poles have been used for many years. Over the years, the most used materials for their manufacture have been wood, concrete, iron and reinforced concrete. This is due to their strength and longevity, especially for reinforced concrete. In the presence of constant light in the dark, many different areas of both residential and non-residential areas of the settlement need, in particular:
- street sidewalks and paths for pedestrians;
- carriageways for cars and main roads;
- territories where various institutions are located;
- filling stations;
- car parks, etc.
Although the distance between lighting poles is the most important point when performing installation, it is still necessary to know and understand the essence and purpose of the structures themselves for lamps. It has two components:
- The main part of the support is a pillar, which can be of different heights. This is due to its function and location. Usually, when they are installed in a village or city, the height is chosen in such a way that the incident light forms peculiar cones on the ground, which must intersect.
- Source that reproduces the light flux. This equipment is installed on top of lighting poles and can be of different shapes, power, etc. This factor depends on the location of the lighting line. For example, when arranging the illumination of roads, it is necessary to use lamps with powerful lamps, which, accordingly, increases the size of the lighting device itself. Smaller poles and decorative light sources can be used to illuminate recreation parks, squares and squares.
Very often, poles with lanterns perform not only a lighting function, but also serve as supports for holding various wires and power lines. In this case, the distance between them can be increased.
Distance between lampposts
First you need to clarify that the distance between the two nearest pillars is called a span. To control these distances, there are certain norms and requirements that are specified in SNiP and GOST.
It is sometimes difficult to choose what distance will be between street lighting poles in an urban area, in a rural area or in a private area. However, for each case there are clear points prescribed in the SNiP. Their implementation may also be different. Subject to the rules specified in the regulatory documentation, the distance between the lighting poles should be calculated based on the following parameters:
- the required level of illumination for a certain area where the installation of lamps is required. For an urban area and a village, these parameters will differ significantly;
- the number of installed lamps on the pole;
- power and type of lighting device;
- installation height of lamps on supports;
- type of lamps used in lamps, they can be LED, incandescent, fluorescent, etc.
You need to know that the most acceptable distance between poles for lighting and power lines is a distance of 35 meters.
Secondary parameters when installing supports
When installing poles for lighting, you need to know not only the distance between adjacent poles, but also how many meters should be to elements of road and architectural significance along the entire length of streets, pavement and squares. Therefore, it is also necessary to take into account the prescribed standards in the regulatory documentation before planning the placement of lighting poles. These rules include the following:
- When installing poles along main roads, the distance from the pole to the curb should not be less than 1 meter. For all other roads, this rate is 0.5 meters. It is allowed to install lighting poles along the dividing strip, the width of which is at least 5 meters.
- In cases where there is no curb along the road, the distance should be at least 1.75 meters from the support to the road surface.
- Along roads where there is no movement of large vehicles, the distance may be 0.3 meters.
- When connecting an electric cable to fixtures using an overhead power line, the distance from the poles to the balconies and windows of residential buildings should not be less than 1 meter.
Influence of height and distance on the amount of lux
Regulatory documentation establishes special norms for the intensity and congestion of street traffic within the city and on main roads, amounting to 3,000 people per hour. If this parameter is exceeded, the average illumination in this area should be at least 20 lux. When this indicator is reduced to 1,000 people, the illumination level is allowed up to 15 lux. In areas with traffic up to 500 people, these figures can be equal to 8 points. As for places with road junctions, bridges and city squares, the level of illumination reaches 25 lux, and in courtyards at least four.
Subject to such requirements, it is not always possible to fulfill the required distance between the poles on which street lamps are placed. After all, the displacement of the support can change the proportionality of the radii of the light flux, and therefore, it is necessary to recalculate the span distance so that they are the same.
In urban areas, the height of lighting poles should reach 20 meters. Before starting installation, it is necessary to verify the availability of specialized equipment and personnel for servicing this lighting line, as well as to justify the need for such a height of supports from a technical and economic point of view.
Calculation of parameters for the placement of lighting poles
Before starting the installation of lampposts, it is required to carry out all the necessary calculations and measurements, namely:
- the most acceptable arrangement of supports with lamps, taking into account the distance of their distance from nearby structures and objects directly to each unit of the lighting line;
- the length of the future span, calculated from one pillar to another.
In the first case, it will not be possible to change the distance of the mounted supports, since their installation is carried out without deviations from the established norms. But with the determination of the length of the spans, serious difficulties arise, they can slightly shift by several meters. This is due to the following nuances:
- the number of mounted fixtures placed on the pole;
- the power of each particular lighting device;
- the height at which the fixtures will be installed.
When making calculations and using special tables that regulate the rules for lighting streets and roads, you can draw up a plan with marking the installation of lighting poles.
When using data from tables, the process of calculating the necessary parameters for each individual object is simplified. Each lighting line has its own characteristics, which in the end can affect the deviation from the established rules. But in any case, the installation of supports for lamps in urban areas is reduced to the most favorable 35 meters between nearby pillars.
An important nuance for the installation of lighting fixtures is their pitch relative to the installation height. There are four types of lighting placement:
- one-sided - step up to 5:1;
- rectangular and axial - up to 5:1;
- chess - up to 7:1.
When using the table below, you must be aware that the data indicated in it refer to the maximum values. These figures are based on the approved and standardized parameters for the placement of supports with lamps.
The benefits of doing the right calculations
With the correct determination of the intervals between the columns, you can get:
- reduction of accidents on roads and the safety of pedestrians on sidewalks;
- high-quality lighting at night;
- excellent illumination of parks and squares;
- decrease in the level of crime.
Knowing the existing requirements for the distances between the lighting poles can help control the installation work at your summer cottage or during independent work on installing lampposts.