Work

Experimental assessment of the long-term variation of modal properties and aerodynamic damping of a self-supporting lattice tower

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The dynamic properties of a 50 m tall self-supporting lattice tower are investigated using long-term full-scale monitoring. Two years of acceleration, strain, temperature, and wind speed data are analyzed to obtain the natural frequencies, mode shapes, and damping ratios. The environmental variation of the modal characteristics and aerodynamic damping was studied based on the simultaneously recorded temperature and wind data. Natural frequencies decreased with an increase in outside temperature. The damping ratios of the first four modes ranged from about 0.2% at low wind speed to 0.6% at high wind speeds. A clear increase in the damping ratio with the mean wind speed, by more than double, was found for the first four modes. The increasing trend of the damping ratio in the alongwind direction with the wind speed was closely similar to that obtained using the quasi-steady-based formulation. The results of the study are an important addition to the few available studies investigating the dynamic properties of self-supporting lattice towers using full-scale data, which in turn will be an input to design standards.

Source: Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics

DOI: 10.1016/j.jweia.2026.106436

Authors: Mekdes T. Mengistu, Kristof Maes, Ileana Calotescu, Geert Lombaert, Maria Pia Repetto

Institutions: University of Genoa, KU Leuven, Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest

Language: English

Topic: Structural Health Monitoring Techniques

Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,880