- Enabled precise control of structural vibration
- Highly sensitive probe
- Protecting the landmark for generations to come
Due to wind exposure, a tuned mass damper was required for installation at the top of the structure
Situated on the E 411 motorway near Lavaux-Sainte-Anne, L’Arc Majeur stands 60 metres tall, and took 35 years from conception to bring to life. The piece was designed by Bernar Venet, one of France’s most prominent conceptual artists. Venet is renowned for the curved nature of his sculptures and has been known to use a combination of maths, physics, and art theory to ensure the integrity of his artworks. Given the scale of the L’Arc Majeur project, new scientific challenges surfaced, and analytical technology was the perfect solution.
The structure was funded by the John Cockerill Foundation - an organisation focused on bringing technological solutions to serve the needs of art and culture. A remarkable feat of engineering, L’Arc Majeur was manufactured at their production facility in Seraing, Belgium, and required over 12,000 hours of welding and assembly work. The Foundation determined that to protect the piece from mechanical vibrations due to wind exposure, a tuned mass damper was required for installation at the top of the steel curve.
At the top of L’Arc Majeur, two pendulums sit in baths of silicone oil, swaying back and forth to counter the mechanical vibrations caused by the wind. By utilising the tuned mass damper, the structure’s sway is reduced significantly. However, as with most fluids, the silicone oil’s viscosity is highly dependent on temperature. This makes it vulnerable to seasonal changes throughout the year. If the silicone oil experienced an undetected change in viscosity, the damper’s ability to counter vibrations could be impaired. This presents a risk to the safety and integrity of the entire structure, meaning more scientific input was required.
A bespoke viscometer and bracket were required for installation in the two baths in the top of the structure. The Hydramotion XL7 viscometer supplied for this project is highly sensitive and can detect even a slight viscous change of the silicone during exposure to seasonal temperatures. This critical data provides engineers with all the insight to make the correct changes to the tuned mass damper, and therefore the vibrations of the entire structure. Protecting the landmark for generations to come.