Piezoelectric Paint: Thick-Film Sensors for Structural Monitoring of Shock and Vibration

This paper describes dynamic strain sensors made using piezoelectric paint, a novel piezoelectric thick-film material which can be deposited using conventional paint spray equipment. The morphology of piezoelectric paint is described briefly, followed by a fuller description of the characteristics of thick-film vibration sensors made using it. It is shown that they have adequate properties (dynamic range and bandwidth) for use in structural monitoring applications, and that they are robust against environmental damage. Finally, a field trial is described in which a sensor has survived for three years without significant deterioration in a typical location on a bridge.