Robust structural health monitoring transducers based on LTCC/PZT multilayer

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems allow for permanent and online characterization of condition and health of structural components. We introduce novel SHM modules fully based on inorganic materials which show a distinguished improve of temperature and chemical stability compared to known piezoceramic-polymer-patches. Using ceramic multilayer technology lead zirconate titanate (PZT) discs are integrated into a package of low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) sheets enabling for the production of compact ultrasonic transducers with integrated electronic circuits and signal processing units.