Experimental Analysis for Piezoelectric Transducers Applications into Roads Pavements

The purpose of this study is to validate the use of piezoelectric transducers into the road asphalt pavement in terms of effectiveness and production of energy. FEM and laboratory test were conducted for transducers within an asphalt pavement, in order to study traffic load effects, the better suitable position, the pavement materials and environmental factors influence. The energy produced by the piezoelectric transducer within the pavement is very low if referred to a single sample as the one in the experiment and when compared to the amount which can be produced by the transducer not embedded in the pavement layers. It is necessary to highlight that higher energy production can be obtained using PZT of different size and with a network connection.