Sensor output evaluation and FEM analysis in displacement measurement using piezoelectric joint sensor

Abstract

After massive earthquakes, many steel structures were built with frame welded joints of welded construction and welded base. Although steel structures are considered highly resistant to earthquakes, many were constructed using frame-welded joints of fillet welded construction and welded column bases. These weld joints could have a low capacity to absorb energy during earthquakes. Infrastructure built in the period of high economic growth in Japan is becoming deteriorated. Furthermore, it is an issue that costs are expensive because mandatory checking once every five years. Structural health monitoring for the maintenance of infrastructures is widely expected to be a new technology. In order to put such a new sensor to practical use, it is required to accumulate the measurement data and establish the evaluation methods to derive information about the states of structures. In this paper, we have proposed the development method for sensor measuring displacement by using composite piezoelectric film and glass. We are investigated relationship between the displacement of the structure and the output voltage from the piezoelectric joint sensor to recorded the sensor characteristics. Structural FEM analysis was also introduced to evaluate the sensor characteristics and assess the mechanisms and effects of various environmental factors on the structure's response.