Keywords
Smart city infrastructure
Pedestrian induced
Power generation
How to Cite
Abstract
Increasing population, transportation density, and the growing demand for sustainable energy have intensified interest in alternative energy-generation technologies, particularly within urban infrastructure. Among these technologies, piezoelectric energy harvesting has emerged as a promising approach for converting mechanical energy generated on large urban surfaces, such as road pavements and sidewalks, into electrical energy. Various roadway- and pedestrian-based piezoelectric energy harvesting systems, including cantilever structures, deformable beams, multi-sensor mats, and hybrid triboelectric–piezoelectric designs, have demonstrated the capability to generate usable electrical power under realistic traffic and pedestrian loading conditions while requiring minimal infrastructure modification. These advances highlight the significant potential of piezoelectric sidewalks as sustainable and self-powered energy sources for future smart city applications. In this paper, roadway and sidewalk-based piezoelectric energy harvesting technologies reported in the literature are comprehensively reviewed, with particular emphasis on pedestrian-driven piezoelectric sidewalks and their implementation in everyday urban environments. Material selection, mechanical design, electrical interfacing, and potential application areas are examined from a holistic perspective. By synthesizing recent advances and identifying current challenges and future research directions, this review provides a comprehensive framework for the development of sustainable, low-power, and low-maintenance piezoelectric infrastructure systems suitable for next-generation smart cities.
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