Characterization of piezoelectric energy production from asphalt pavements using a numerical-experimental framework

Abstract

The recent increase in demand for electric energy and different ways of harvesting and generating it has been a key research stream in transportation infrastructure in Brazil. Since pavement structures are subjected to the mechanical load of millions of vehicles, the application of piezoelectric sensors is adequate, transforming deformations and vibrations on its layers into electric power. The general objective of this study was to investigate the use of piezoelectricity as a source of renewable energy applied to roadways using computational simulations and laboratory tests. The results indicate that factors such as frequency, load, the number of piezo cells, and spacing all affect the amount of power harvested. Regarding power generation in the simulation and laboratory characterization, the highest values obtained were 648.8 mW and 226.9 mW, respectively. The analysis indicates there is a correlation between the laboratory tests and the computational simulations, enabling the prototype application to capture up to 76.56 MWh of energy per month. Usage of piezoelectricity has been demonstrated to be a promising alternative to complement the Brazilian energy matrix and reduce the environmental impact.