PROJECT OF THE MONTH FEBRUARY 2026 | Christmas lighting significantly shapes the cityscape of Vienna in the Advent season. Last year VCE was assigned with the static evaluation of Christmas lighting applied on existing stays of the municipal department MA33 – Wien leuchtet so that the atmosphere is not only festive but also safe.
Subject of the project was the static check of the lighting planned to be hung up in Vienna’s shopping streets by the Economic Chamber. The central question was which Christmas lighting and the resulting test loads are statically unproblematic for the existing infrastructure - – and from which loads potential damages at the stays must be expected.
Assessment of available calculations and standards
In the first project step VCE analysed the static calculations of the existing situation available up to now. In this process the relevant, currently valid rules and standards as well as previous static calculations and test loads of earlier lighting applied so far were evaluated.
New evaluation according to the state of the art
Based on the current standards and know-how a comprehensive new static assessment took place subsequently. The objective was to clearly define the limits of applicability and to identify which Christmas lightings can be safely applied. At the same time, it was analysed for which lightings additional devices are required to avoid overloading or damage of the facilities of MA33.
Studies of alternatives and practical field test
Supplementarily VCE carried out studies of alternatives on potential future measures. A central component of the project was a field load test in July 2025, as project manager Robert Veit-Egerer specifies, “On a specific experimental set-up on the area of the company Czernohorsky test loads of approx. 15 kg up to approx. 250 kg were realistically simulated. The acquired findings supplied valuable data for a resilient and practice-oriented assessment.”
Contribution to safety and sustainable operation
With the project VCE considerably contributes to a safe and sustainable use of the existing urban infrastructure compliant with the standards. The results create a well-founded decision basis for operators and clients and enable to realize future Christmas lighting in a technically safe and economically efficient way.
LOCATION
Vienna, Austria
CLIENT
Municipal department 33 – WIEN LEUCHTET
COOPERATION PARTNER
Company Csernohorszky (electrical facilities)
SERVICES
Check engineering
More information on the services under Structural Health Monitoring – BRIMOS®