Application of Post-Embedded Piezoceramic Sensors for Force Detection on RC Columns under Seismic Loading

Chien-Kuo Chiu,Chih-Hsien Lin,Hsin-Fang Sung,Wen-I Liao,Chia-Hsin Wu

doi:10.3390/app10155061

Chien-Kuo Chiu, Chih-Hsien Lin + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app10155061

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Abstract

To quantify damage to reinforced concrete (RC) column members after an earthquake, an engineer needs to know the maximum applied force that was generated by the earthquake. Therefore, in this work, piezoceramic transducers were used to detect the applied force on an RC column member under dynamic loading. To investigate the use of post-embedded piezoceramic sensors in detecting the force that is applied to RC columns, eight full-size RC column specimens with various failure modes were tested under specific earthquake loadings. Post-embedded piezoceramic sensors were installed at a range of depths (70–80 mm) beneath the surface of a column specimen to examine the relationship between the signals that were obtained from them and the force applied by the dynamic actuator. The signals that were generated by the post-embedded piezoceramic sensors, which correlate with the applied force, are presented. These results indicate that the post-embedded piezoceramic sensors have great potential as tools for measuring the maximum applied force on an RC column in an earthquake. In other words, signals that are obtained from post-embedded piezoceramic sensors on an RC column in an earthquake can be used to determine the applied force and corresponding damage or residual seismic capacity.

Highlights

Reinforced concrete (RC) is one of the most widely used modern building materials
Figure 7control indicates that the measured signals are similar to the input signals, the dynamic loading satisfies the requirements of the test
Since the lateral force excitation from the dynamic actuator induced the piezoelectric effect of the post-embedded in each eachspecimen, specimen,the thesensors sensorsproduced produced voltage signals the post-embeddedpiezoceramic piezoceramic sensors sensors in thethe voltage signals under andSensor

Summary

Introduction

Reinforced concrete (RC) is one of the most widely used modern building materials. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes or strong ground motions, degrade RC column members. The health of a structure that includes such members must be evaluated immediately following an extreme event to provide fundamental structural information regarding building safety. Throughout the service life of a building, its structural performance must be monitored and its residual seismic or serviceability capacity must be measured. Structural health monitoring (SHM) for RC column members is part of these processes. Confirmation of the safety and integrity of building structures depends on the accuracy and precision of nondestructive testing (NDT) methods, such as visual inspection (VT), acoustic emission (AE), ultrasonic testing (UT), infrared and thermal testing (IR), and others.

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