Why high masts are a category of their own
A pole 20 meters or taller is fundamentally different from a typical road pole — in load calculations, manufacturing technique, installation method, and maintenance. You can't apply the same standards and expect a reasonable service life.
The key difference: at large heights, lateral wind force becomes more impactful than the vertical load of the floodlights. This flips design priorities from "how much can it carry" to "how much does it deflect and oscillate".
Lateral load calculations
Wind is the governing factor. The general rule: each additional meter of height raises the base moment roughly as a square, because the wind-exposed area grows and the arm the wind acts on lengthens.
Floodlights mounted on the head add extra exposed area. A 6-fixture LED rig at 1500 W can add roughly 2 m² of wind exposure above the pole head.
Net result: a 25-meter pole needs a base 700 to 800 mm in diameter at the bottom, tapering to 250 mm at the top, with 6 to 8 mm wall thickness.
Maintenance approach
Cherry-picker maintenance is feasible up to about 25 meters. Above that, it becomes uneconomical and lowering-headframe solutions are chosen: an internal winch system that brings the floodlights down to ground level for service.
Maintenance cost is the largest line item in a pole's lifecycle — it can exceed the original purchase price after 15 years. A design that ignores serviceability charges the customer later.
Installation on site
A 25-ton-class crane at minimum is required to lift a 20-meter pole into installation position. The concrete foundation has to be poured at least 28 days before installation to fully develop strength.
Anchor bolts are embedded in the concrete with precision using a template supplied by the pole manufacturer — a center offset greater than 5 mm creates a plumbness problem that's hard to correct after the fact.
Total cost of life
Calculate total cost = pole cost + installation + expected 20-year maintenance + potential replacement cost. The cheapest purchase may be the most expensive after 5 years if it wasn't built for Saudi conditions.
Our factory has supplied high masts to dozens of stadiums and major yards across the Kingdom's regions. Every project is its own request, every site a separate structural calculation. Reach out to our engineering team for a tailored consultation, no cost.
