No abstract

A new method of structural health monitoring based on sensor-tags using radio frequency power to energize node wirelessly is proposed. A modular RFID sensor-tag, which has the function of signal conditioning, energy harvesting, and wireless transmission, is designed for some sensing elements commonly used in structural health monitoring, such as resistance strain gauges, piezoelectric ceramic and shape memory alloy (SMA). Sensor-tags receive energy which is the feedback of reader antenna coupling and provide power for sensor nodes. It overcomes defects of wireless sensor network (WSN) powered by battery, such as weak capabilities of processing, storage and communication. Stretching, bending and impact tests show that the system can achieve reliable signal acquisition and wireless transmission, the wireless communication distance between tag and reader is up to 128 meters, bit error rate of signal transmission 2 %.