Assessment of vehicle weight measurement method using PVDF transducers

In this paper, the usefulness of piezoelectric transducers for vehicle weight measurement is assessed. Under mechanical strain, such as compression or tension, a piezoelectric cable generates electrical charges that can be converted into an electrical signal. This property was exploited to design a model measurement setup in the form of an inclined plane to simulate the dynamic pressure exerted by a moving vehicle on the road. The moving vehicleʹs momentum is converted into an electrical signal generated by the PVDF transducer under the influence of the vehicle pressure. The obtained results show the usefulness of the digital signal processing techniques for the processing of electrical signals received from PVDF transducers under deformation and the validity of this method of measuring the weight of moving vehicles.