Characterization of cement-based materials using a reusable piezoelectric impedance-based sensor

This paper proposes a reusable sensor, which employs a piezoceramic (PZT) plate as an active sensing transducer, for non-destructive monitoring of cement-based materials based on the electromechanical impedance (EMI) sensing technique. The advantage of the sensor design is that the PZT can be easily removed from the set-up and re-used for repetitive tests. The applicability of the sensor was demonstrated for monitoring of the setting of cement mortar. EMI measurements were performed using an impedance analyzer and the transformation of the specimen from the plastic to solid state was monitored by automatically measuring the changes in the PZT conductance spectra with respect to curing time using the root mean square deviation (RMSD) algorithm. In another experiment, drying-induced moisture loss of a hardened mortar specimen at saturated surface dry (SSD) condition was measured, and monitored using the reusable sensor to establish a correlation between the RMSD values and moisture loss rate. The reusable sensor was also demonstrated for detecting progressive damages imparted on a mortar specimen attached with the sensor under several loading levels before allowing it to load to failure. Overall, the reusable sensor is an effective and efficient monitoring device that could possibly be used for field application in characterization of cement-based materials.

[1]  C. Yun,et al.  Piezoelectric sensor based nondestructive active monitoring of strength gain in concrete , 2008 .

[2]  Bahador Sabet Divsholi,et al.  Application of reusable PZT sensors for monitoring initial hydration of concrete , 2009, Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring.

[3]  Charles R. Farrar,et al.  Development of an extremely compact impedance-based wireless sensing device , 2008 .

[4]  K. Tseng,et al.  Non-parametric damage detection and characterization using smart piezoceramic material , 2002 .

[5]  Rudy Tawie,et al.  Piezoelectric-based non-destructive monitoring of hydration of reinforced concrete as an indicator of bond development at the steel–concrete interface , 2010 .

[6]  Roger Ohayon,et al.  Piezoelectric actuation mechanisms for intelligent sandwich structures , 2000 .

[7]  Chee Kiong Soh,et al.  Embedded piezoelectric ceramic transducers in sandwiched beams , 2006 .

[8]  Goran Stojanovic,et al.  Monitoring of Water Content in Building Materials Using a Wireless Passive Sensor , 2010, Sensors.

[9]  Gyuhae Park,et al.  Development of an impedance-based wireless sensor node for structural health monitoring , 2007 .

[10]  Charles R. Farrar,et al.  Performance assessment and validation of piezoelectric active-sensors in structural health monitoring , 2006 .

[11]  Chee Kiong Soh,et al.  A Reusable PZT Transducer for Monitoring Initial Hydration and Structural Health of Concrete , 2010, Sensors.

[12]  Craig A. Rogers,et al.  Coupled Electro-Mechanical Analysis of Adaptive Material Systems — Determination of the Actuator Power Consumption and System Energy Transfer , 1994 .

[13]  Suresh Bhalla,et al.  Calibration of piezo-impedance transducers for strength prediction and damage assessment of concrete , 2005 .

[14]  Chung Bang Yun,et al.  Development of multi-functional wireless impedance sensor nodes for structural health monitoring , 2010, Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring.

[15]  S. Park,et al.  Debonding condition monitoring of a CFRP laminated concrete beam using piezoelectric impedance sensor nodes , 2010 .

[16]  Chung Bang Yun,et al.  Multiple Crack Detection of Concrete Structures Using Impedance-based Structural Health Monitoring Techniques , 2006 .

[17]  Hoon Sohn,et al.  Overview of Piezoelectric Impedance-Based Health Monitoring and Path Forward , 2003 .

[18]  Kenneth T. V. Grattan,et al.  Demonstration of a fibre-optic sensing technique for the measurement of moisture absorption in concrete , 2006 .

[19]  K. Maekawa,et al.  Drying induced moisture losses from mortar to the environment. Part I: experimental research , 2007 .

[20]  Rudy Tawie,et al.  Monitoring the strength development in concrete by EMI sensing technique , 2010 .

[21]  Chee Kiong Soh,et al.  Health monitoring of concrete structures using embedded PZT transducers based electromechanical impedance model , 2009, Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring.

[22]  Rudy Tawie,et al.  Non-destructive evaluation of concrete quality using PZT transducers , 2010 .

[23]  Suresh Bhalla,et al.  Damage detection in concrete structures with smart piezoceramic transducers , 2003, Other Conferences.

[24]  Suresh Bhalla,et al.  Performance of smart piezoceramic patches in health monitoring of a RC bridge , 2000 .