• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.375-393
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• 2015

In this study, local dynamic characteristics of mountable PZT interfaces are numerically analyzed to verify their feasibility on impedance monitoring of the prestress-loss in tendon anchorage subsystems. Firstly, a prestressed tendon-anchorage system with mountable PZT interfaces is described. Two types of mountable interfaces which are different in geometric and boundary conditions are designed for impedance monitoring in the tendon-anchorage subsystems. Secondly, laboratory experiments are performed to evaluate the impedance monitoring via the two mountable PZT interfaces placed on the tendon-anchorage under the variation of prestress forces. Impedance features such as frequency-shifts and root-mean-square-deviations are quantified for the two PZT interfaces. Finally, local dynamic characteristics of the two PZT interfaces are numerically analyzed to verify their performances on impedance monitoring at the tendon-anchorage system. For the two PZT interfaces, the relationships between structural parameters and local vibration responses are examined by modal sensitivity analyses.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.881-901
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• 2016

In this study, a method to compensate the effect of temperature variation on impedance responses which are used for prestress-loss monitoring in prestressed concrete (PSC) girders is presented. Firstly, an impedance-based technique using a mountable lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) interface is presented for prestress-loss monitoring in the local tendon-anchorage member. Secondly, a cross-correlation-based algorithm to compensate the effect of temperature variation in the impedance signatures is outlined. Thirdly, lab-scale experiments are performed on a PSC girder instrumented with a mountable PZT interface at the tendon-anchorage. A series of temperature variation and prestress-loss events are simulated for the lab-scale PSC girder. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method is experimentally verified for prestress-loss monitoring in the PSC girder under temperature-varying conditions and prestress-loss events.