Dynamic Response of the Stuttgart TV Tower Measured by Classical Instruments and GPS Technology

This paper compares the measurement results of dynamic characteristics, including natural frequencies, damping ratio, and wind-induced responses of the Stuttgart TV Tower (TV Tower), obtained by Lenk in 1959 using classical instruments with those obtained by the authors a few decades later using Global Positioning System (GPS). The objective of this paper was to monitor the response of the TV Tower under wind loading, which is an important tool for the validation of its design, construction, and structural health. During the authors’ GPS measurements, weak and moderate wind speeds occurred most of the time. Only in 2007, the stronger wind observed (90 < V < 100 km/h) at the head of the TV Tower (H=157 m), which caused displacements in the decimetre range. Further measurements in 2011 were carried out, using additional GPS receivers with a higher data rate. The results achieved by the GPS prove that the cross-wind response was larger than the along-wind component for all ranges of wind speed, which occurred during the measurement periods, i.e. from 2002 to 2015. The authors of this paper extended Lenk’s results, by the static and along-wind components, confirmed the first natural frequency, and damping ratio, evaluated by the Random Decrement technique. Mounting a GPS receiver, on the steel antenna mast tip, enabled detection of the second natural frequency fs2 = 0.800 Hz, which is the frequency of the mode shape of the TV Tower steel antenna mast. Lenk did not measure this frequency.