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Scholars Journal of Engineering and Technology | Volume-3 | Issue-01
Usage of PZTs for Damage Evaluation of Steel Reinforcing Bar
Costas P. Providakis, Chris G. Karayannis, Constantin E. Chalioris, Maria J. Favvata, Georgia M. Angeli, Nikos A. Papadopoulos
Published: Jan. 30, 2015 |
133
96
DOI: 10.36347/sjet
Pages: 80-93
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Abstract
This study presents an effort for the damage assessment of reinforcing bars using bonded piezoelectric
transducers and the implementation of an integration approach based on the electromechanical admittance method. The
damage is the result of excessive elongation of the bar due to yielding caused by flexural deformation of are in forced
concrete element or by local steel corrosion and it is simulated considering reduced bar diameter along the damaged part
of its length. Test measurements of healthy and artificially damaged steel bars have been conducted using the developed
monitoring system. The experimental program comprises data acquisition of current density curves for healthy and
damaged bars as detected by the test instrumentation and implementation of the adopted admittance-based procedure to
evaluate damages at different levels. Analytical simulations of the same healthy and damaged bars have also been carried
out using the finite element software COMSOL. It was found that the sensitivity of the piezoelectric transducers greatly
depends on the selection of the excitation frequencies. Current density and admittance curves demonstrated discrepancies
between the response of the healthy and the damage states. Admittance signatures showed a clear gradation of the
examined damage levels.