Finite Element Analysis of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters in Pavements

Abstract

This study examines the shape betterment of piezoelectric energy harvesters under mechanical stress, producing vibrations, using ABAQUS software. Six piezoelectric devices with varying dimensions but equal areas were constructed to investigate if model size affect the output voltage. These models underwent testing under different loading conditions mirroring real-time pavement scenarios to generate an output voltage through finite element modelling. The resulting output voltages were then compared to assess the impact of shape optimization on piezoelectric energy harvesters in order to obtain energy from mechanical vibrations. In addition, different cross-sections and materials were compared to find the optimum one yielding maximum values.