NDT for damage diagnosis in shear-critical concrete beams using external PZTs and a new wireless monitoring system (WiAMS)NDT for damage diagnosis in shear-critical concrete beams using external PZTs and a new wireless monitoring system (WiAMS) Πλήρης Δημοσίευση σε Συνέδριο Conference Full Paper 2018-11-012016enThe application of an innovative portable real-time Wireless impedance/Admittance Monitoring System (WiAMS) in damage diagnosis and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of shear-critical Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams is experimentally studied. This system is based on an alternative consideration of the electromechanical impedance concept, integrating Piezoelectric lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) patches that serve as sensors and actuators simultaneously. It uses WiAMS devices and an array of externally bonded PZT patches on the surface of the RC beams in specific locations across the potential diagonal cracking of both shear spans. Voltage signals of the PZTs were measured at the healthy state and at different levels of the applied load and the corresponding damage states. Quantitative assessment of the examined damage levels using statistical damage indices is also presented. Promising results concerning the prediction of the forthcoming final shear failure at early damage stages such as the onset of diagonal cracking were derived.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/187-1946th International Conference on Concrete RepairConcrete Solutions - Proceedings of Concrete Solutions, 6th International Conference on Concrete Repair Voutetaki Maria-Styliani Βουτετακη Μαρια-Στυλιανη Papadopoulos Nikos A. Chalioris Constantin E. Providakis Konstantinos Προβιδακης Κωνσταντινος CRC Press/Balkema Beam Damage assessment Non-destructive testing (NDT) Piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) Reinforced concrete (RC) Shear Structural health monitoring (SHM)