Vibration protection for wind turbine on the Eiffel Tower

Paris (FR) / Buers (AT). A wind turbine on the Eiffel Tower that supplies the first level of the famous French landmark with electricity has been fitted with elastic Sylodyn® bearing elements from Getzner. This measure prevents vibrations from being transferred to the roof terrace of the Eiffel Tower's restaurant.

The electricity required to power the Eiffel Tower – roughly seven gigawatts every year – has been generated in part from renewable sources since February 2015. As part of Paris's energy and climate strategy, the Eiffel Tower's operating company authorised the construction of a wind turbine generator system to convert wind into electricity at a height of 127 metres. The system was installed during the first-level refurbishment project. Approximately seven metres high, the wind turbine for which Getzner installed the vibration protection is positioned on a metal foundation, which in turn is located directly on the roof of the restaurant. To ensure that vibrations and structure-borne noise are not transferred to the restaurant premises, the foundation is elastically mounted on Sylodyn® elements. Developed and produced by Getzner in Austria, the closed cellular polyurethane material Sylodyn® minimises vibrations and oscillations at source, thus preventing a transfer to other areas of the structure. “Not only does the colour of the wind generator perfectly match the Eiffel Tower's structure, but it can also generate power without vibrations and noise disturbing the restaurant's clientele,” explains Cedric Le Chevillier, the project chief at Getzner.  

Consultancy before implementation and on-site installation supervision
The ideal solution was developed in advance on the basis of detailed calculations by Getzner engineers. Throughout this process, regular communication with the acoustic design team responsible for the implementation was vital. “Their excellent references and engineering expertise were certainly crucial in our decision to opt for a solution from Getzner,” states Jean Eudes Henry, production engineer from the construction company Bateg in Vélizy-Villacoublay, “but Getzner's experts were also on-site during the installation – a valuable service when it comes to successfully implementing the installation.” Regarding the project, Cedric Le Chevillier concludes: “The fact that our material is even being used to protect the world-famous Eiffel Tower from vibrations and oscillations makes this a reference project to be proud of.”