A guy-wire, guy-line, guy-rope or guide-wire, also known as simply a guy, is a tensioned cable designed to add stability to a free-standing structure. They are used commonly in ship masts, radio masts, wind turbines and communication towers. A thin vertical mast supported by guy wires is called a guyed mast. Structures that support antennas are frequently of a lattice construction and are called "towers".
One end of the guy is attached to the structure, and the other is anchored to the ground at some distance from the mast or tower base. The tension in the diagonal guy-wire, combined with the compression and buckling strength of the structure, allows the structure to withstand lateral loads such as wind or the weight of cantilevered structures.
They are installed radially, usually at equal angles about the structure, in trios and quads. As the tower leans a bit due to the wind force, the increased guy tension is resolved into a compression force in the tower or mast and a lateral force that resists the wind load. For example, antenna masts are often held up by three guy-wires at 120° angles. Structures with predictable lateral loads, such as electrical utility poles, may require only a single guy-wire to offset the lateral pull of the electrical wires, at a spot where the wires change direction.
Guy Wire Types
Galvanised Construction
Galvanising has many different purposes, galvanised guy wire comes in many variants and sizes and tends to have more breaking strain then stainless steel cable and more affordable , APAC will only send out guy wire that has been engineered for your tower/purpose.
Stainless Steel Construction
Stainless steel guy wire is primarily used in high corrosion environments, the coastal towers are all recommended to install stainless steel guy wire, turn buckles, wire rope grips and saddles to ensure there is no galvanic corrosion between dissimilar materials.
Fibreglass Construction
Generally used in high corrosion areas where metal based guy wires tend to fail after a short operating life, fibreglass is corrosion-free and non-conductive making it very suitable to the various harsh environments across Australia and the rest of the world. Fibreglass guy wire is typically stronger than the equivalent diameter steel wire, whilst also weighing 30% less, making it an excellent choice for those trying to keep weight to a minimum.