Autonomous structural health monitoring using piezoceramics
At LMSSC, Cnam, Paris, June 20th 2005
Daniel J. Inman
Director, Center for Intelligent Material Systems and Structures,
George R. Goodson Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA
Structural health monitoring is receiving increased attention in industrial sectors and in government regulatory agencies as a method of reducing maintenance costs and preventing disasters. One technical roadblock to implementing this technology is the miles of wiring involved in monitoring a large system such as a bridge, airplane or building. Here we propose and discuss an integrated autonomous sensor "patch" that contains the following key elements:
- Power harvesting from ambient vibration and temperature
- Battery charging circuit o Local computing and memory
- Active sensors
- Wireless transmission
- Battery charging circuit o Local computing and memory
- Active sensors
- Wireless transmission
These elements should be autonomous, self contained and unobtrusive compared to the system being monitored. Each of these elements is discussed as a part of an integrated system to be used in structural health monitoring applications.