Smart Cathodic Protection System for Real-Time Quantitative Assessment of Corrosion of Sacrificial Anode Based on Electro-Mechanical Impedance (EMI)

Sacrificial anodes are widely used in cathodic protection systems to shield steel structures from corrosion, yet their own degradation is rarely monitored in real time. This paper presents a smart cathodic protection system that leverages electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) sensing with PZT transducers to track corrosion progression of zinc anodes. By monitoring shifts in the radial expansion resonance mode, the system provides a quantitative indicator of anode deterioration. Accelerated corrosion experiments in saline electrolyte confirm that resonance frequency evolution strongly correlates with zinc loss and zinc oxide delamination. An analytical model, supported by finite element validation, captures the nonlinear effects of partial delamination. To the authors’ knowledge, this represents the first demonstration of a cathodic protection system with built-in sensing of sacrificial anode degradation, paving the way for IoT-enabled, real-time structural health monitoring of critical infrastructure.

Key Findings

• Resonance frequency shifts of PZT–anode assemblies directly indicate zinc sacrificial anode degradation.
• The EMI technique provides high sensitivity to early-stage corrosion.
• Analytical and finite element models capture the nonlinear effects of zinc-oxide delamination observed experimentally.
• Demonstrates the first cathodic protection system with built-in, real-time sensing of sacrificial anode health.

Recommended citation: Tamhane D., Thalapil J., Banerjee S., Tallur S. Smart Cathodic Protection System for Real-Time Quantitative Assessment of Corrosion of Sacrificial Anode Based on Electro-Mechanical Impedance (EMI). IEEE Access. 2021;9:12229–12240.
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