Structural Health Monitoring with Piezoelectric Sensors

Development, Evaluation and Implementation of Sensor Techniques for Bridges Critical to the National Transportation System

“…Piezoelectric materials have capabilities to transform mechanical energy input or applied pressure into proportional electrical output or charges (Piezocryst, 2010). Piezoelectric sensors are used for determining pressure, acceleration, strain or force in quality assurance, process control and development in various industries including applications in SHM systems (Guy and Monnier, 2006). Piezoelectric sensing techniques are grouped in three categories: acoustic emission, acoustic-ultrasonic using piezoelectric transducers and electromechanical impedance.…”

“…problems associated with factors such as reproducibility of acoustic coupling, accessibility of the structure and materials with poor-signal-to-noise ratio (Guy and Monnier, 2006). To overcome some of these limitations, piezoelectric sensors have to be embedded into or bonded to the members to be evaluated.…”

“…The EMI method used in the low frequency range is suitable for detecting flaws in the immediate vicinity of the active element. The same set of piezoelectric elements can be utilized for aging monitoring, for damage identification, and for evaluating AE activity of the structure under testing (Guy and Monnier, 2006).…”