08 · Power Engineering Technologist · 2022–2023
Engineering utility infrastructure from the design model to the mountains of rural Virginia.
Design with the field in mind
My role began with utility-pole and grid-infrastructure design. It later expanded into Post Construction Inspection: traveling to completed work, checking the installation, and identifying the next engineering actions.
That combination taught me to connect what a model predicts with what is actually standing in the field.
01 / Capture the existing arrangement
01 / Capture the existing arrangement
At Pike Engineering, I used LDField and DDS (Digital Design Studio) to document and design utility-pole arrangements. Pole geometry, attachment heights, equipment, neighboring spans, and field conditions all informed the engineering model.
02 / Understand the load paths
I analyzed how wind loading, tension from connected spans, and the weight of mounted components act together. A change at one attachment can affect the pole’s loading, so the surrounding line arrangement matters as much as the individual component.
03 / Verify the field installation
After construction, I traveled into rural Virginia’s mountains to inspect utility poles and compare completed work with the intended design. I documented attachment locations, cable clearances, pole condition, and whether the work met the project’s requirements.
04 / Specify the corrective work
Field findings could call for replacement of a damaged or decaying pole, raising a low cable to meet applicable clearance requirements, or specifying a down guy to oppose unbalanced loading. Guy direction and anchorage had to suit the actual site and loading; there was no universal angle.
In the model
Using LDField and DDS (Digital Design Studio), I worked with pole layouts, attachment information, and loading conditions to evaluate and design utility infrastructure. Wind, span tension, and mounted equipment all contribute to the demands on the pole.
The animation brings those relationships together. It explains the types of loading I considered without presenting a specific pole design or calculated capacity.
After construction
PCI took me into the mountains and remote parts of Virginia, sometimes with long drives followed by travel on foot from pole to pole. I compared completed construction with the intended work and documented discrepancies.
The inspection also required fresh engineering judgment. A pole could be damaged or decaying, a cable could hang too low, or the loading could call for additional support. I translated those observations into corrective-work requirements.
Evaluate damage and decay, then call for replacement or other corrective work based on the condition and applicable criteria.
Identify low cables and specify height adjustments to meet the applicable safety-clearance and project requirements.
Determine where a down guy and anchor are needed, with direction and geometry selected to counter the actual load.
What I carried forward
Field inspection made the consequences of engineering decisions tangible. Accurate records, clear corrective instructions, and careful observation mattered to the crews and communities that depended on the infrastructure.
This role also helped me save to return to university. It remains an important part of how I approach engineering: take the work seriously, keep learning, and understand the conditions beyond the drawing.
Experience described from my résumé and personal account; all field photos are my own. Company context: Pike engineering and project delivery. The animation is a conceptual explanation, not a construction drawing, clearance specification, or substitute for a site-specific analysis.
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