Wind load plays a decisive role in the design, deployment, and operation of telecom infrastructure, as base station antennas are typically the most exposed elements on a site and therefore dominate the mechanical loading of masts and towers. This paper examines wind load fundamentals, current industry standards, and the practical limitations of existing approaches, showing that inconsistencies in wind tunnel testing can lead to deviations of up to 49% in reported values.
The paper presents independently supervised comparative testing, cross-wind-tunnel measurements, and the industry’s first direct long-term live site wind load monitoring of a commercially operational mobile base station. By bridging standards, laboratory testing, and field validation, it provides a framework to improve reliability, comparability, and efficiency in wind load assessment for telecom antennas.
Authors
Stefan Eschrig, Anand Uthandi, Reza Dehghani, Bastian Marleaux and Daniele Barbieri
