Magnetic Resonance-Based Wireless Power Transmission through Concrete Structures

Abstract

As civil infrastructures continue to deteriorate, the demand for structural health monitoring (SHM) has increased. Despite its outstanding capability for damage identification, many conventional SHM techniques are restricted to huge structures because of their wired system for data and power transmission. Although wireless data transmission using radio-frequency techniques has emerged vis-à-vis wireless sensors in SHM, the power supply issue is still unsolved. Normal batteries cannot support civil infrastructure for no longer than a few decades. In this study, we develop a magnetic resonance-based wireless power transmission system, and its performance is validated in three different mediums: air, unreinforced concrete, and reinforced concrete. The effect of concrete and steel rebars is analyzed.