• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.1625-1642
• /
• 2015

We propose an electrically self-reliant structural health monitoring (SHM) system that is able to wirelessly transmit sensing data using electrical power generated by vibration without the need for additional external power sources. The provision of reliable electricity to wireless SHM systems is a highly important issue that has often been ignored, and to expand the applicability of various wireless SHM innovations, it will be necessary to develop comprehensive wireless SHM devices including stable electricity sources. In light of this need, we propose a new, highly efficient vibration-powered generator based on a tuned-mass-damper (TMD) mechanism that is quite suitable for vibration-based SHM. The charging time of the TMD generator is shorter than that of conventional generators based on the impedance matching method, and the proposed TMD generator can harvest 16 times the amount of energy that a conventional generator can. The charging time of an SHM wireless transmitter is quantitatively formulated. We conduct wireless monitoring experiments to validate a wireless SHM system composed of a self-reliant SHM and a vibration-powered TMD generator.