Detection of train passages during forced vibration testing of bridge structure using energy harvesting technology

Through integration with civil infrastructure, smart systems have the potential to provide real time health monitoring of the host structure. Such systems can be designed so as to be power independent while, providing such... [ view full abstract ]

Through integration with civil infrastructure, smart systems have the potential to provide real time health monitoring of the host structure. Such systems can be designed so as to be power independent while, providing such detection, using energy jarvesting technology. The use of piezoelectric energy harvesters are particularly attractive for this purpose. This is due to the dynamics of the host structure being reflected in the power output of such harvesters. It is therefore possible to identify not only the nature of the host, but also the loading to which it is being subjected through the power output. This paper investigates the detection of train passages over a host bridge structure during full scale forced vibration testing using piezoelectric energy harvesters. The use of a shaker unit to subject the bridge to controlled forced vibrations is outlined. The deployment of an energy harvesting device to the bridge during such testing is outlined and its performance analysed. A time domain power output from the harvester during testing is provided and the host characteristics identified. Incident based events were identified from the power output and corresponded with train passages which occured during the forced vibration testing. The potential use of energy harvesters to identify event based incidents are discussed and future applications identified. This paper further establishes the potential applications of energy harvesting technology with civil infrastructure through full scale experimental validation.