News

Call for Abstracts – CWE Workshop “Advanced modeling of stochastic Wind Effects and Vibrations”

The CWE will organise a workshop in the field of wind engineering and bring together world-wide experts for a presentation and discussion of their current work in this field. We also invite an interested audience (researchers, students, engineers) to participate and allow questions to the experts via an online platform.

The Workshop takes place online at 26th of October 2022. The call for abstracts for presenters is open now! Participants who like to attend without own presentations are invited to register as well.

Please find more information on the https://www.cwe.rwth-aachen.de/cwe-workshop-2022/


Presenation of results of the project: „Verbesserte Wind- und Eislastansätze für Fassadenelementen aus Stahl“


 1th – 2th March, 2021, 2nd International Conference on Seismic Design of Industrial Facilities, at RWTH Aachen.
CWE hosts the second International Conference on Seismic Design of Industrial Facilities together with the Chair of Structural Analysis and Dynamics (RWTH Aachen University), SDA engineering GmbH, TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH and TÜV SÜD Academy GmbH. This conference takes place on March 1.-2., 2021 as an online conference and aims at bringing together researchers, design engineers and plant operators to discuss the particularities of seismic design in plant engineering. For more information, please visit https://www.tuev-sued.de.


SPIF – 2020 International Blind Prediction Contest

SERA (Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe) Framework

We are pleased to announce the SPIF – 2020 International Blind Prediction Contest for a three-storey, moment-load-bearing steel frame with containers and boxes arranged vertically and horizontally on three levels and connected by pipes. The dynamic behaviour of the test structure and the installations will be studied by means of vibrating table tests at EUCENTRE in Pavia, Italy. The test campaign is part of SERA (Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe). Please download the following file with all necessary information and instructions:

ZIP-File: SPIF-Blind test prediction-2020


The CWE Nanay Bridge covers the front page of RWTHinsight
Under the title “Nanay Bridge – proofed by RWTH” an article about the aerodynamic investigations of the Nanay Bridge by Frank Kemper and Robert Fontecha was printed in the university newspaper RWTHinsight.

The bridge under investigation has a total length of 1,860 m and is being built in the city of Iquitos in the Peruvian rainforest across the 425 m wide Nanay River. Aerodynamic investigations are indispensable for filigree bridge structures of this type. The CWE team conducted all necessary aerodynamic studies in the wind tunnel of the CWE using rigid section models and a fully aeroelastic model of the entire bridge.

Link to the university newspaper


Workshop “extreme events” – Cagliari 17-20 September 2019 CWE is represented by Prof. C. Butenweg. Further information can be found in the information flyer.


Workshop on building in earthquake areas:
On 22.02.19 the workshop on building in earthquake areas will take place at the RWTH Aachen. The workshop is aimed at structural engineers and test engineers in the field of structural engineering / industrial construction / steel construction. Linear and non-linear calculation methods according to Eurocode 8 will be discussed, with a special focus on the earthquake-compatible design of typical connection details. For further information please refer to the information flyer. 


Summer School ‚Structural Engineering of Industrial Facilities‘ 2018 – A success story: From 18 to 21 June, this year’s Summer School – SEIF was held for the first time in cooperation with the International Academy RWTH. The summer school was organized as a joint project at the CWE and enjoyed a lot of visitors from all over the world. Further information, pictures and videos can be found on the Academy homepage.


The ingenious Professor Luftikus Wirbelwind or how streamlined is a shoe box?
On Friday, April 20, 2018, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frank Kemper, alias Professor Luftikus Wirbelwind, presented his “ingenious idea” about a scooter powered by wind instead of muscle power at the RWTH Children’s University. You can watch the video of his lecture for children from 8 years on here.


Explain it to me, RWTH! Professor Frank Kemper on the aerodynamics of horses.
Every second counts at the CHIO Aachen – but how streamlined are show horses and their riders? Professor Frank Kemper explained (with a little wink) to the team from the CHIO Aachen what role aerodynamics plays in the equestrian sport. Link to the video


Organization of the conference event with the Fachverband Mobilfunkbautechnik
On April 14, the CWE hosted the conference of the Fachverbandes Mobilfunkbautechnik (FMB e.V.). Besides a very attractive lecture program on technical and legal issues concerning mobile radio infrastructure, the about 60 participants showed a lively interest in the test facilities and the boundary layer wind tunnel of the CWE.


1st International Workshop on Traditional and Innovative Approaches in Seismic Design: Vom 31.03 – 03.04.2016 findet an der TU München der vom DAAD finanziell unterstützte Workshop “Hochschuldialog mit Südeuropa” statt. Das CWE ist dort mit Prof.-Dr.-Ing. C. Butenweg und Dr.-Ing. O. Altay mit Vorträgen vertreten. Weitere Informationen enthält der Informationsflyer.


Seminar earthquake design in the Haus der Technik in Essen
On 10.03.16 the seminar on earthquake design of structures according to DIN EN 1998 will take place in Essen. The seminar will also cover the seismic design of plants and a comparison with American regulations. The CWE is represented at the seminar by Prof.-Dr. Ing. Christoph Butenweg. Further information can be found on the webiste www.hdt-essen.de


Founding of the CWE

On February 5th, 2016, the institutes involved founded the CWE, laying the foundation for a successful interdisciplinary cooperation in the fields of wind and earthquake engineering at the RWTH Aachen University.


SEDIF conference: The international conference “Seismic Design of Industrial Facilities” will take place in Aachen, Germany, from September 26 – 27, 2013. The conference brings together research and practice in the field of plant engineering with a focus on seismic design. The conference supports the exchange of information and experience with the following objectives:

  • Achievement of an improved understanding of the seismic behavior of industrial plants
  • Triggering discussions on how to deal with uncertainties and risks
  • Support for the development of suitable calculation and verification methods
  • Creation of an overview of international standards in the field of seismic design of industrial plants

Detailed information can be found on the following website: http://www.sedif-conference.de