Impedance‐Based Cable Force Monitoring in Tendon‐Anchorage Using Portable PZT‐Interface Technique

Abstract

In this paper, a portable PZT interface for tension force monitoring in the cable‐anchorage subsystem is developed. Firstly, the theoretical background of the impedance‐based method is presented. A few damage evaluation approaches are outlined to quantify the variation of impedance signatures. Secondly, a portable PZT interface is designed to monitor impedance signatures from the cable‐anchorage subsystem. One degree‐of‐freedom analytical model of the PZT interface is established to explain how to represent the loss of cable force from the change in the electromechanical impedance of the PZT interface as well as reducing the sensitive frequency band by implementing the interface device. Finally, the applicability of the proposed PZT‐interface technique is experimentally evaluated for cable force‐loss monitoring in a lab‐scaled test structure.