Theoretical modeling and performance evaluation of novel smart aggregates utilizing the adjustment method of series and parallel connections

Abstract Smart aggregates (SAs) are a type of innovative smart devices that have garnered significant attention in the field of structural health monitoring. This study proposed a novel smart aggregate (NSA) based on dual piezoelectric elements and the adjust method of electrical series and parallel connections. The theoretical models based on one dimensional piezoelasticity theory are established and compared with special cases reported in previous literature, which verify the correctness of the theoretical models. The NSA specimens are prepared and tested under laboratory conditions, and the relative error between the test results and theoretical results do not exceed 5.46%. The effects of key parameters on the performance of NSA are analyzed theoretically. Temperature sensitivity tests are performed to evaluate the temperature dependence of the NSA and the temperature compensation algorithm based on dynamic time warping is used to reduce the frequency offset error to 0.3%. In addition, the wireless monitoring capability of the NSA is explored by the wireless impedance measurement system, whose monitoring accuracy is higher than 98.55%. This research serves as a comprehensive guide for designing such NSA, thereby fostering advancements in the field of SAs.