Multi-Functional Smart Aggregate-Based Structural Health Monitoring of Circular Reinforced Concrete Columns Subjected to Seismic Excitations

In this paper, a recently developed multi-functional piezoceramic-based device, named smart aggregate, is used for the health monitoring of concrete columns subjected to shake table excitations. Two reinforced concrete columns instrumented with smart aggregates were fabricated and tested with a recorded seismic excitation at the structural laboratory at University of Nevada-Reno In the tests, the smart aggregates were used to perform multiple functions which included the dynamic seismic response detection, structural health monitoring and white noise response detection. Experimental results showed that the acceleration level could be evaluated from the amplitude of dynamic seismic response; the damage status at different locations was evaluated by a wavelet packet-based damage index matrix; and the first modal frequency obtained from the white noise response decreased with the increment of the damage severity. The proposed multi-functional smart aggregates have great potential in the structural health monitoring of large-scale concrete structures.