The regulatory framework for government projects
In municipal and government road projects, a price quote alone isn't enough. City municipalities and the road authority require product compliance with specific standards: SASO at the Kingdom level, and often IEC 60598 internationally as the electrical-safety reference, plus structural requirements per ASTM and EN.
Understanding this framework before submitting a bid saves the contractor expensive review cycles later — especially in funded contracting work.
Core structural requirements
Main shaft wall thickness: 3 to 6 mm depending on height. For poles taller than 10 meters, the typical minimum is 4 mm.
Base: a steel base plate 16 to 25 mm thick, with 4 to 8 anchor bolts in galvanized steel of 24 mm diameter or more, varying with the load calculation.
Service door: a secure lock, a reinforced frame that preserves the pole's structural rigidity, and a clearance of at least 60 cm from ground level.
Load calculations — wind and seismic
The Saudi loads code (SBC 301) sets design wind speeds by region: 130 km/h for coastal zones, 110 km/h for the central zone, and higher for exposed desert sites. Tall poles (12 m+) need detailed calculations that account for arm shape and the mounted floodlights.
Seismic: most of the Kingdom is low-risk, but Tabuk, NEOM, and Red Sea coast projects require verification against at least Zone 2A per the SBC.
Certifications commonly required in tenders
A SASO product-conformity certificate issued by an accredited inspection body.
A galvanizing thickness test report per ASTM A123 — with an on-site sample.
Structural calculations stamped by a licensed engineer, covering vertical loads, lateral loads, and moments.
An ISO 9001 quality-management certificate for the manufacturing site.
Common mistakes in contractor bids
Submitting a pole with thinner wall thickness than required, betting it will "pass inspection" — it gets caught in field inspection and rejected.
Relying on a galvanizing certificate without supplying the structural calculation documentation — extremely common in municipal projects.
Neglecting electrical earthing requirements. The pole must include an internal earthing point and a clear connection path per IEC 61140.
Aktar has long experience preparing the technical documents for tender projects. Reach out to our team to review the project brief before you submit.
Frequently asked questions
What certifications are required to supply lighting poles in Saudi government tenders?
Tender briefs typically require a SASO product-conformity certificate from an accredited inspection body (often via the SABER platform), a galvanizing thickness test report per ASTM A123 or ISO 1461, structural calculations stamped by a licensed engineer covering vertical loads, lateral loads, and moments, and an ISO 9001 certificate for the manufacturing site. Many tenders also reference IEC 60598 as the safety standard for the luminaire. The exact list varies by the owning authority, so it is best to verify against the latest brief text before submitting.
What wall thickness is required for road lighting poles?
The main shaft wall thickness is typically between 3 and 6 mm depending on height and loads, with a usual minimum of around 4 mm for poles taller than 10 meters. The actual figure is not a fixed number but is derived from the per-site structural calculation against the design wind speed and the wind-exposed area of the fixtures. Submitting thinner-than-required wall thickness on the assumption it will "pass inspection" is a common mistake that gets caught in field inspection and leads to rejection of the supply.
How does the Saudi code SBC 301 define wind and seismic loads on lighting poles?
The Saudi loads code (SBC 301) sets design wind speeds by region — roughly around 130 km/h for coastal zones and 110 km/h for the central zone, higher for exposed desert sites — and tall poles (12 m and above) are subject to detailed calculations that account for the arm shape and the mounted floodlights. For seismic, most of the Kingdom is low-risk, while Tabuk, NEOM, and Red Sea coast projects require verification against at least Zone 2A. Final values are taken from the latest reading of the code and from the per-project structural calculation.
What are the base plate and anchor bolt specifications for a lighting pole?
The steel base plate is usually between 16 and 25 mm thick, with 4 to 8 galvanized-steel anchor bolts of 24 mm diameter or more, and the figures vary with the load and base-moment calculations. The bolts are set into the concrete foundation precisely using a template supplied by the manufacturer, and any off-center deviation creates a pole-plumb problem that is hard to correct later. All of this is determined by the structural calculation, not by generic off-the-shelf values.
