Electromechanical Impedance Technique Research Articles

A proof of concept study on reliability assessment of different metal foil length based piezoelectric sensor for electromechanical impedance techniques

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) patches gained popularity in structural health monitoring (SHM) for its sensing and cost effective. However, a robust installation of PZT patches is challenging due to the often-complex geometry and non-accessibility of structural parts. For tubular structures, the curved surface can compromise the perfect bonding of PZT patches. To alleviate the above-mentioned challenges, the non-bonded and reusable configuration of sensor received considerable interest in the field of SHM. However, ensuring the repeatability and reproducibility of Electro-Mechanical Impedance (EMI) measurements is crucial to establish the reliability of these techniques. This work investigated the repeatability and reproducibility measures for one of non-bonded configuration of PZT patch i.e., Metal Foil Based Piezo Sensor (MFBPS). In addition, the concept, application, and suitability of MFBPS for impedance-based monitoring technique of Civil infrastructure are critically discussed. This study evaluates the effect of length of MFBPS on piezo coupled admittance signature. Also, this study evaluates repeatability and reproducibility of EMI measurements via statistical tools such as ANOVA and Gage R&R analysis. The statistical index CCDM was used to quantify the deviations of impedance signals. The overall result shows that the repeatability of the EMI measurements improves with a metal foil length of 500 mm. Overall, this investigation offers a useful point of reference for professionals and scholars to ensure the reliability of MFBPS for EMI techniques, a variant of piezoelectric sensor for SHM applications.

A Baseline‐Free Electromechanical Impedance Resonance Method for Measuring the Modulus of Elasticity of Concrete Cubes Using Surface‐Bonded PZT Patches

The modulus of elasticity of concrete (Ec) is an essential parameter commonly used in concrete design, concrete curing monitoring, and deterioration evaluation and damage detection of concrete structures. A quick and reliable in situ determination of Ec helps in accurate decision‐making for construction and maintenance. The electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique using surface‐bonded lead zirconate titanate (PZT) patches (referred to as SBP) has become a popular nondestructive method for monitoring concrete structures due to ease of operations. The existing research mainly utilized baseline‐dependent approaches to monitor the changes (e.g., hardening or damage evolution) of concrete structures. However, relevant baselines are greatly influenced by the status of PZT sensors and bonding layers, limiting the practical applications of this technique. This paper presents a baseline‐free EMI resonance method for measuring Ec of concrete without using prior baseline data for the first time. Numerical and experimental studies on standard concrete cubes (100 mm in width) with SBP were conducted to examine the proposed method. A dimensionless physical quantity was first proposed to view the EMI signals. Then, resonance peaks highly related to concrete properties but insensitive to the status of the sensor system were selected, physically described, and correlated to the concrete parameters through numerical analyses. Finally, experimental validations, covering the measurement of Ec, repeatability of the chosen resonance peaks, and temperature effects, were conducted to illustrate the proposed method’s stability, accuracy, and sensitivity.

Application of EMI technique in crack propagation under the block loading conditions for AA6061 alloy

The behaviour of a component under real/random loading conditions can be studied by converting the random load into block load. Therefore, knowledge of the initiation and propagation of a crack under block loading conditions is very important for the safety and reliability of machine components / structures. Electromechanical impedance (EMI) is a real-time damage evaluation technique in which simultaneous use of the high-frequency mechanical excitations and responses of the structure are made by employing a piezoelectric transducer. In the present study, an experimental methodology to monitor fatigue crack initiation and propagation under block loading conditions for AA6061 aluminium alloy has been studied with the help of the EMI technique. The piezoelectric sensor bonded on the Compact Tension (CT) specimen acts as an actuator and sensor both. The conductance signature provided a sufficient information about the damage and crack growth under high low and low high block loading conditions. The conventional crack growth rate versus range of stress intensity factor plot matches well with the crack growth rate versus shift in resonant frequency.

Application of wavelet transform techniques for corrosion assessment of embedded rebars in RC elements using electromechanical impedance

Corrosion of steel reinforcement embedded in concrete significantly influences the integrity and durability attributes of reinforced concrete structures. Monitoring of the early age corrosion of the reinforcements can contribute to an effective planning of structural maintenance and restoration. This paper demonstrates an innovative approach of monitoring the rate of corrosion (mass loss due to corrosion) of steel bars embedded in concrete by capturing conductance signature using Piezoelectric sensors (PZT) by Electromechanical Impedance Technique. In the recent times Wavelet Transform (WT) based different techniques have been proved to be promising techniques for different structural health monitoring assessment. This study aims to comprehensively use the WT techniques based on EMI signals to assess the corrosion levels in the reinforcement embedded in RC members. Specifically, the study focuses on capturing the progression of corrosion levels using the RMSD index derived from the DWT, CWT and WPT analysis of conductance signatures. WT techniques provides energy values of conductance signatures. Energy level of the signatures decreases with the increase of corrosion levels and deviation of energy level between current and pristine stage is measured using statistical index Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD). Robust relationship between the RMSD index and the corrosion mass loss ratio through nonlinear curve fitting have been derived and presented using data captured from the 48 specimens of concrete cylinders with embedded reinforcement. At last, the comparison between the actual mass loss ratio and the predicted mass loss ratio derived from these techniques have been made for the validation of the proposed relation of predicted mass loss due to corrosion.

Real-Time Structural Damage Detection Using EMI under Varying Load a and Temperature Conditions

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is a critical aspect of maintaining the safety and integrity of infrastructure. In recent years, there has been a significant shift towards adopting innovative techniques, and one of the most promising methods is Electromechanical Impedance (EMI). EMI involves the utilization of piezoelectric transducers to assess the health of structures in real-time by examining changes in their electrical characteristics. The presence of load causes a change in structural stiffness, which alters the resonant characteristics of the structure. Understanding how external factors like load and temperature influence the electrical impedance of these sensors is essential for its reliable application in damage detection. This article presents an experimental and numerical study to investigate the effects of load and temperature on the electrical impedance of a piezoelectric sensor used in the electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique. The experimental setup uses an impedance analyzer (Agilent 4294A model) to measure the in-situ EMI of piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) attached to the monitored structure. The numerical model uses ANSYS software to simulate an aluminum beam at varying temperatures. The results show that the load and temperature have a significant effect on the impedance of the transducer. However, it is shown that it is still possible to detect damage using EMI even under varying load and temperature conditions. The results also show that the accuracy of EMI-based damage detection can be improved by using temperature and load compensation techniques.

Evaluation of ground conductor corrosion based on EMI technique with asymmetric sensor layout

ABSTRACT The ground conductor is prone to corrosion, which affects its ability to diverge current and the normal operation of the power system. The traditional detection method can’t detect its corrosion degree intuitively. This paper proposes a novel method based on Electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique to evaluate the corrosion degree of the grounding conductor. Firstly, based on the analysis of corrosion of metals. The change of ground conductor radius Δr is used as the corrosion parameter. A linear model of peak frequency Δf m and corrosion parameter Δr in asymmetric layout is established by analysing EMI and conductor mechanical admittance. Secondly, the EMI coupling models with different sensor layouts were built on the finite element software. It is verified that the asymmetric sensor layout effectively improves the sensitivity to corrosion. The linear model greatly improves the assessment accuracy compared with the Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation (MAPD) and Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) damage index. Thirdly, the proposed method is verified in a real grounding conductor corrosion experiment. The method based on the EMI technique with asymmetric sensor layout can evaluate the corrosion of the grounding conductor well.

Health monitoring of steel structures using surface mountable and detachable PZT sensor

A lot of collapse in the infrastructure were reported in the last decades, hence the need for monitoring the health of the structures also arises. There are various techniques available to monitor the health of the structure, in which Electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique is one of them. In EMI technique, the PZT sensor is bonded to/embedded in the structure using epoxy. The thickness of epoxy layer used as an adhesive should be maintained as thin as possible, which cannot be achieved ideally, which introduces shear lag effect such that is, complete strain transfer cannot take place between PZT and host structure. The shear lag effect caused is one of the major drawbacks in the EMI technique and due to this effect, the damage detection sensitivity decreases. To overcome this drawback, in this study a new sensor named Surface Mounted PZT Sensor (SMPS) is proposed for the steel structure. Along with this, the performance of other sensor configurations such as conventionally bonded PZT with epoxy that is Surface Bonded PZT Sensor (SBPS) and Adhesive Covered Surface Bonded PZT Sensor (ACSBPS) are also been compared. The results show that, SMPS was working effectively and was more sensitive compared to SBPS and ACSBPS.

Study on Monitoring of Vacuum Preloading Process of Soft Soil Based on Electromechanical Impedance Technique

Study on Monitoring of Vacuum Preloading Process of Soft Soil Based on Electromechanical Impedance Technique

Analysis of FRP-Strengthened Reinforced Concrete Beams Using Electromechanical Impedance Technique and Digital Image Correlation System.

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening systems have been considered an effective technique to retrofit concrete structures, and their use nowadays is more and more extensive. Externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) and near-surface mounted (NSM) technologies are the two most widely recognized and applied FRP strengthening methods for enhancing structural performance worldwide. However, one of the main disadvantages of both approaches is a possible brittle failure mode provided by a sudden debonding of the FRP. Therefore, methodologies able to monitor the long-term efficiency of this kind of strengthening constitute a challenge to be overcome. In this work, two reinforced concrete (RC) specimens strengthened with FRP and subjected to increasing load tests were monitored. One specimen was strengthened using the EBR method, while for the other, the NSM technique was used. The multiple cracks emanating in both specimens in the static tests, as possible origins of a future debonding failure, were monitored using a piezoelectric (PZT)-transducer-based electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique and a digital image correlation (DIC) system. Clustering approaches based on impedance measurements of the healthy and damaged states of the specimens allowed us to suspect the occurrence of cracks and their growth. The strain profiles captured in the images of the DIC system allowed us to depict surface hair-line cracks and their propagation. The combined implementation of the two techniques to look for correlations during incremental bending tests was addressed in this study as a means of improving the prediction of early cracks and potentially anticipating the complete failure of the strengthened specimens.

The Efficacy of Electromechanical Impedance Monitoring of Embedded Piezoelectric Ceramic Lead Zirconium Titanate Sensors in Different Orientations for Hybrid Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Structures Hydration

Abstract In this study, the influence of the orientation of embedded piezoelectric ceramic lead zirconium titanate (PZT) on the mechanical performance of hybrid fiber-reinforced (polypropylene and glass fiber) concrete beams was evaluated. The performance of concrete was evaluated under self-weight, followed by assessing the mechanical property using the electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique after optimization of M30 grade concrete with polypropylene fiber and glass fiber. PZT patches are embedded at different orientations, i.e., 0 deg, 45 deg, and 90 deg, with the axis of the structure for monitoring the hydration of the RC beam. The change in stiffness due to heat hydration in the concrete structure after 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days was observed by curing hybrid concrete beams and examining them after 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. On the fifth day, beams were simply supported and allowed to deflect under their weight, and measurements of heat hydration in terms of conductance at frequencies ranging between 1 and 1000 kHz were done. Similarly, days 7, 14, 21, and 28 were done. Day 5 was considered the baseline. It is noted that the PZT sensor placed at an angle of 45 deg is the least effective in recording the incremental changes in hydration that occurred in the concrete beam. The highest quality results were obtained at 90 deg, which is further demonstrated by statistically quantifying the changes using the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) percentage method and proves to be the most optimized orientation to obtain the stiffness of the hybrid reinforced beam in terms of conductance.

Solar cell micro crack detection technique using electromechanical impedance and finite element analysis

Electromechanical impedance (EMI) is one of the modern techniques employed in the field of structural health monitoring (SHM) and has witnessed a great expansion in many domains due to its ability to ensure continuous monitoring and high reliability with a lower cost. Hence, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of EMI in monitoring and detecting pre-existing cracks in the silicon layer of the photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. Indeed, a detailed finite element analysis (FEA) on the effect of piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) patch shape on the EMI of crystalline-silicon (c-Si) layer of the PV solar cells were performed. The typical structure (c-Si + PZT) of different scenarios were stimulated by giving a lower voltage and high frequency as input data to extract the EMI signature as an explainable output result. Different models were investigated based on PZT patch types and crack position in the silicon layer. The results indicate that the EMI technique is effective in detecting crack, even in its incipient stage. The analysis suggests using a higher frequency range (350–650 kHz) for characterizing damage with an invisible depth due to the higher sensitivity of the EMI technique in this specific frequency.

Early detection of thermal instability in railway tracks using piezo-coupled structural signatures

Rail accidents caused by rail track derailments have been a growing concern due to repetitive thermal changes resulting from high temperature stresses in rails due to rail traction and environmental thermal variation. This leads to thermal buckling, which can result in catastrophic failure. Structural health monitoring (SHM) using the electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique has emerged as a promising technology to detect structural deterioration and its severity before it leads to failure. This study used piezoelectric sensors to collect piezo-coupled structural signatures of different rail-joint bars for high-temperature repetitive thermal cycles, which were then analyzed using an impedance analyzer. The results show that the piezo-coupled signatures could identify structural changes, and the damage metric, could be employed for continuous monitoring of structural rail defects due to excessive thermal stress and residual strain. The method also derived piezo-equivalent structural parameters, such as mass, stiffness, and damping, which were very satisfactory in detecting significant changes and consequent damage. Overall, this study presents a pre-emptive experimental method that can see thermal deterioration and instability in rails and rail joints, thereby reducing the risk of rail accidents caused by derailments.

A novel approach to alloy-based bonding for piezoelectric sensor integrated in impedance-based structural health monitoring

ABSTRACT Structural health monitoring aided with the electromechanical impedance technique (EMI) is gaining popularity among researchers due to its dual sensing application and noise-free sensor results, and it is very sensitive to inceptive structural alternation. A thin coat of adhesive permanently bonds the piezoelectric transducers to the host structure. The bonding layers effect the mechanical interaction between the structure and the piezoelectric material as they act as a pure shear connector. Furthermore, the presence of shear alters the actuation and sensing capability of the PZT (Piezoelectric Transducer) patch, hence the efficiency of EMI technique. In this paper, a novel alloy (Sn-Ag) based bond is introduced for sensor integration and studied for bond behaviour in order to improve the bond’s quality in the EMI approach for structural health monitoring. The first part of experiment deals bond geometry degradation deals with the effect of disbond towards impedance-based coupled signature. The last part of experiment focuses on bond exposure to environmental degradation and it’s durability. From the experimental results, it is found that the Sn-Ag alloy-based bond formed between the structure and the piezoelectric transducer with the help of thermos-activated process is extremely strong and establishes a unique bond layer connection to the structure, which has a more resistive capacity towards moisture, chemical, and also temperature, compared with the epoxy-based bond.

Structural Health Monitoring of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Prisms with Polyolefin Macro-Fibers Using a Piezoelectric Materials Network under Various Load-Induced Stress

This experimental study investigates the influence of synthetic macro-fibers added in fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) prismatic specimens on their flexural response and overall cracking performance. Application of a novel structural health monitoring (SHM) system that implements the electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique and the use of piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers installed in the FRC prisms are also included. The applied PZT-enabled EMI-based monitoring system was developed to diagnose damage and the overall performance in reinforced concrete (RC) structural members subjected to cyclic repeated loading, simulating seismic excitations in existing RC buildings. The paper also aims to determine the sensitivity of the real-time, wireless, and portable monitoring technique corresponding to the location, the distance, the direction of polarization of the PZT transducers and the location and magnitude of damage due to flexural cracking. Further, the influence of the effect of stresses corresponding at various loading levels and the observed changes in the ΕΜΙ frequency response of the PZT transducers are also examined. Test results indicated that cracking detection is achieved using this SHM system by prompt damage level assessment due to the FRC’s flexural load at early seismic loading stages in existing RC buildings.

Electro-mechanical impedance technique for concrete strength monitoring: Three-dimensional model development and experimental verification

During the application of the electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) technique for detecting the strength development of concrete, in some cases, the piezoelectric sensor is embedded in the concrete. Normally, there are two methods to embed the piezoelectric sensor: PS-EMI and CPS-EMI. For both methods, the observed resonance frequency of the piezoelectric sensor increases with the increase of the concrete strength. However, there is a contradiction in the trend of conductance amplitude at the resonance frequency, which has to an extent puzzled the researchers in this area. In this paper, we developed a three-dimensional EMI model for the embedded piezoelectric sensor. We discussed the underlying mechanism, which induces the conductance spectrum difference for the PS-EMI and CPS-EMI, and experimental verification was carried out. By plotting the evolution of the concrete strength as a function of the resonance frequency shift, it was found that both embedding methods can be used in practical applications.

Real Time Assessment of Smart Concrete Inspection with Piezoelectric Sensors

Utilization of an Electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique with Piezoelectric (PZT) sensors has showed potential for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). The changes in mechanical structure via flexural bending and cracking can be detected by monitoring the deviations in electrical impedance signals recorded with embedded PZT sensors. This paper has conducted a comprehensive study on the potential of an EMI technique with embedded PZT sensors with 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) structures subjected to flexural bending test until plastic failure. The impact of different Piezoelectric housing methods and materials has been studied comprehensively through the monitoring of EMI signals. Experimental results indicate that material housing types and thickness affect the sensitivity of EMI readings but also performed as a reinforcement when a load is directly applied. The embedded PZT sensors with the EMI technique have shown strong potential to address the cost and lifecycle challenges posed by traditional construction methods as the insertion of PZT sensors seamlessly functions with 3DCP workflows. Further developmental work can be carried out to address the sensitivity of the sensor, performance as a reinforcement, and installation automation. The results proved that the coated sensors could detect fractures in 3DCP concrete with decreased sensitivity on thicker coating layers through the variance in materials and coating thickness in the paper.

Parametric analysis of RSB sensors for concrete strength monitoring using hybrid EMI and WP techniques: Numerical investigation

The strength of concrete after its casting increases with time up to a certain limit due to continuous hydration reactions in the cement matrix. To measure the rate of strength development and ultimate capacity of concrete, a novel health monitoring method using Reusable smart bolt (RSB) piezoelectric sensor is proposed in the present paper. The smart piezoelectric Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) patch-based Electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) and Wave propagation (WP) techniques are utilised for accessing the health of concrete at 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 & 28 days of concrete hydration. Firstly, the PZT patch-based sensing capabilities are validated with the experimental results from literature by modelling concrete cube for EMI and beam for WP results. Then, a total of 31 finite element models of concrete cubes having different RSB configurations were taken into consideration for sensor design and optimization. In EMI technique, the shifting of conductance signatures and relative resonance frequency are measured, whereas in WP technique, the shift of P-wave velocity peaks between actuator and sensor is estimated for all the models. The sensitivity of outputs is measured by plotting statistical Root mean square deviation (RMSD) index which proven the efficacy of employing RSB sensors for monitoring concrete strength-development during early-hydration ages with good correlations. Overall, the EMI-identified RMSD plotted for conductance shows 327 % more sensitivity than WP-identified relative change of P-wave velocity in monitoring concrete strength development using RSB sensors.

Performance evaluation concept for crack healing in bacterial concrete structure using electro mechanical impedance technique with PZT patch

Beginning and development of cracks reduce the structural performance and durability, thus a novel strategy is required to prevent such kind of occurrence. The incorporation of bacteria in the concrete system is likewise a technique to prevent the growth of the cracks by the microbial induced calcite precipitation. The Electro mechanical impedance (EMI) technique is the smart sensor-based technology that is an efficacious technique to examine the health of structures, whereas the prediction of frequency band and corresponding healing damage indicator for real-life application is the governing factor. The examination of crack healing performance in bacterial concrete by EMI technique with PZT sensors was not reported by previous studies to date. This research is motivated by the quality evaluation of crack healing in bacterial reinforced concrete beam specimens using the EMI technique with surface-bonded PZT patch and embedded concrete vibration sensor (CVS), respectively. For the fabrication of bacterial reinforced concrete beam specimen, the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis bacteria have been used. To induce the structural damage, the three point loading was applied to the prepared reinforced concrete beam specimen. The optimal frequency band was determined which resulted in the structural condition for that the four statistical indices were investigated with various crack severities in several sub-frequency bands. The optimal frequency band was determined as 161–215 kHz. Further, the crack healing performance was investigated with a pre-evaluated optimal frequency band using the statistical damage indices. The damage indicators RMSD, MAPD, and CC were appropriate for the evaluation of damage severity; however Cov was appropriate for damage severity evaluation in lesser amounts in a sub-frequency band. The evaluated damage indicators RMSD, MAPD, Cov, and CC successfully signified the crack healing by the bacterial incorporation in concrete structures. The SEM and XRD tests were performed for the confirmation of calcite deposition at the cracks. The developed concept is resulted in significantly evaluating the healing quality of the cracks by bacterial incorporation over time.

Challenges for structural health monitoring of concrete curing using piezoelectric sensor and electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique: A critical review

Monitoring the strength of early-age concrete is crucial by assessing an accurate time of removing construction formwork and loads on the structural elements, as well as the high technology strength identifications. This high technology is based on electromechanical impedance (EMI). EMI technique might also be monitored for efficient and verifiable effects, such as the curing phenomenon in situ investigation level. The curing effect on concrete strength elements has been significantly detected using piezoelectric patches (PZT) as smart material devices in electromechanical impedance investigation. This EMI approach is also becoming a sustainable solution for diagnostic demands in order to determine the signature characteristics at earlier phases of the concrete strength growth. In 2005, the first investigation on the curing problem was published, then became increasingly well-known in many relevant studies. Consequently, this paper presents the most recent state-of the- art curing studies by EMI technology. The literature reviews categorized relevant information into vital concrete curing challenges to be highlighted in future research. State-of-art listed the critical outputs and findings as installation techniques, computing technology integration, modelling, analysis techniques, signal processing, and environmental factors. In conclusion, EMI technology might potentially be transformed into a self-contained monitoring device to detect early damage in concrete. Similarly, the appropriate research gaps might examine more experiments and simultaneously provides an explanation for more research problems in the field of structural health monitoring.

Monitoring of soil water content using spherical smart aggregates based on electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique

Real-time monitoring of soil water content is of great significance to prevent many engineering accidents, such as landslide, water seepage of foundation dam, and reduction of foundation bearing capacity. Electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique based smart aggregates (SAs) have showed excellent monitoring capability in various engineering applications. However, there are limited reports on the application of EMI based SAs in the monitoring of the soil water content. In this paper, the EMI based spherical SAs (SSAs) were investigated in the monitoring of soil water content. Firstly, the SSAs were designed and fabricated using the monolithic concrete encapsulation method, and their stable performance in air were evaluated, and confirmed by testing and analyzing the impedance spectrum. Then, the fabricated SSAs were immersed in the water environment for 28 d to ensure the stability under the working conditions, such as the soil with high water content and the hydration process of early-age concrete. Secondly, the monitoring experiments of soil water content were carried out based on the SSAs and the traditional SAs using the EMI technique. The measured impedance signatures under different water contents in soil were quantified by three types of statistical indexes, including root mean square deviation, mean absolute percentage deviation, and correlation coefficient deviation. The experimental results show that compared with the traditional SAs, the SSAs are more sensitive and stable to monitor the soil water content. Finally, the effect of temperature on the performance of SSA based on the EMI technique were conducted experimentally. The results demonstrate that temperature has influence on the monitoring results of the SSAs based on the EMI technique.