15–19 Jun 2026
Europe/Rome timezone

Reducing the Impact of Wind Turbine Vibrations on the Einstein Telescope

Not scheduled
1m
poster Poster Session Poster Session

Speaker

Tom Niggemann

Description

The planned Einstein Telescope (ET) requires an exceptionally quiet seismic environment in the 2–10 Hz band, which coincides with the higher-order tower bending eigenmodes of modern wind turbines. Regardless of the choice of site for ET, renewable energy is being expanded worldwide. Therefore understanding and mitigating seismic vibrations from wind turbines is becoming increasingly important. This poster presents how these structural modes contribute to low‑frequency ground motion. We combine wind turbine modelling with finite‑element modal analysis to identify the relevant eigenmodes and quantify the spectral imprint of turbine operation on the surrounding seismic field. The study evaluates several mitigation strategies, including tuned mass dampers, foundation redesign, and additional structural or operational measures. The results highlight which tower modes pose the greatest risk for low‑frequency detector sensitivity and which engineering interventions most effectively suppress problematic vibration transmission. This work supports evidence‑based planning for the coexistence of renewable energy infrastructure with next‑generation gravitational‑wave astronomy, ensuring that both can progress without compromising scientific performance.

Author

Co-authors

Achim Stahl (RWTH Aachen University) Florian Wagner (RWTH Aachen University) Marc Boxberg Niklas Nippe

Presentation materials

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