A piezopaint-based sensor for monitoring of structure dynamics

Piezoceramic materials are used today in a variety of applications. By combining a piezoceramic powder with paint resin it is possible to fabricate a new type of piezomaterial, which can easily be applied to almost any surface. This paper describes the development of such a paint. The thermal stability and sensitivity as a function of frequency were investigated. Furthermore, a sensor based on an optimized epoxy piezopaint having a thickness of 80 µm was fixed on a steel beam of a footbridge to study the performance of the sensor and its long-term stability. It was demonstrated that the sensor could detect signals easily both from bridge movement and from pedestrian traffic on the bridge. The signal remained constant for a period of over thirteen months of monitoring.