Application of piezoelectric sensors in geotechnical engineering

Xiang Wu Zeng, Li Ming Hu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Piezoelectric sensors have been widely applied in geotechnical engineering, especially in characterizing soils through measurement of wave velocities. Since mechanical properties of a material are closely associated with wave velocities, piezoelectric sensors provide a reliable and non-destructive method for the determination of soil properties. The following results of recent researches were presented on measuring stiffness of a wide range of soils such as clay, sand and gravel, characterizing anisotropic properties of soil induced by external loading, measuring stiffness of base and subgrade materials in the pavement, determining soil properties in a centrifuge model during the flight of a centrifuge, and understanding wave propagation in granular materials under micro-gravity environment with this technique. It was shown that piezoelectric sensors could be widely and effectively used in researches and practices of geotechnical engineering.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)983-988
Number of pages6
JournalYantu Gongcheng Xuebao/Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume28
Issue number8
StatePublished - Aug 2006

Keywords

  • Geotechnical centrifuge test
  • Geotechnical engineering
  • Micro-gravity environment
  • Non-destructive method
  • Piezoelectric sensors
  • Wave velocity

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