Characterization of PZT ceramic transducer embedded in concrete

The characteristics of the PZT ceramic element embedded in concrete are researched. Based on the theory that the physical coefficients of the ceramic change their values under different stress level, a method of measuring the concrete stress by detecting the characteristics of the embedded ceramic element is proposed. The experiment uses a network analyzer to monitor the changes of the parameters during the loading circle in which loadings are applied on a concrete specimen with an embedded PZT ceramic. In order to describe the characteristic change from the aspect of energy losses, three dissipation factors are also obtained from the piezoelectric equations. The experimental results show that although some equivalent parameters show a better monotonicity. But the measurement error analysis indicates that such monotonicity is not reproductive. The piezoelectric dissipation factor performs a relative good monotonicity and reproducibility, and is recommended as stress indicator for stress measurement.