Use of Different Modified Dual Piezo Cnfigurations on RC Beam using EMI Technique

Abstract

Real time structural health monitoring along with damage detection and assessment of reinforced con-crete members becomes vital since engineers often face the problem of detecting hidden damage. The Electromechanical Impedance (EMI) technique, which uses piezoelectric–ceramic Lead–Zirconate–Titanate (PZT) patches as impedance trans-ducers, has emerged as a powerful non-destructive evaluation technique during the last few decades. Conventional EMI tech-nique employs the same piezo patch as the sensor as well as the actuator. A new version of piezo configurations is used here is called as Modified Dual Piezo Configuration (MDPC). It is applied in such a way that central patch acts as sensor and surrounding patches acts as actuator yielding to better results and larger sensing zone. In present work performance of different piezo configurations, namely, surface-bonded Single Piezo Configuration (SPC), surface-bonded Modified Dual Piezo Configuration (MDPC) and Embedded Modified Dual Piezo Configurations (EMDPC) are applied to three different but identical reinforced concrete beams which are then subjected to destructive loading condition and tested. RMSD indices are evaluated and their results are compared for effectiveness of all configurations using EMI technique. It is establi hed that MDPC detects damage most effectively.