Title: Structural health monitoring of composites from carbon nanotube coated e-glass fibre

Authors: Eltahry Elghandour; Amro El Badawy; Ashraf Elbarbary; Sidney Wong; Omar Dwidar; Sergio Rafael Rodriguez

Addresses: Mechanical Engineering Department, California Polytechnic University, 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA ' Mechanical Engineering Department, California Polytechnic University, 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA ' Mechanical Engineering Department, California Polytechnic University, 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA ' Mechanical Engineering Department, California Polytechnic University, 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA ' Mechanical Engineering Department, California Polytechnic University, 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA ' Mechanical Engineering Department, California Polytechnic University, 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA

Abstract: As composite materials are rapidly replacing traditional materials in many industries, improved methods of identifying their damage are in development. With nanotechnology-based sensors, it is possible to efficiently detect damage without the time-extensive processes of scanning the structure. This research investigated the development of a nanomaterial-based sensor for health monitoring of composite structures. To develop the sensor, carbon nanotube/epoxy mixture was coated on a strand of e-glass fibre to be adhered onto a fibreglass composite specimen. Tensile testing of the specimens provided data on the actual strain, which was correlated with the experimental differential resistances measured by a multimeter. The experimental resistance data was calibrated with the actual strain data. Ultimately, the experimental sensors created a sample of gauge factors, which represents 91.24% probability of replicating the observed range of gauge factors by using the same manufacturing procedures, providing a valid alternative and consistent method to detecting composite damage.

Keywords: composites; strain gauge; carbon nanotubes; CNT; e-glass fibre; health monitoring system.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMSS.2021.115790

International Journal of Sustainable Materials and Structural Systems, 2021 Vol.5 No.1/2, pp.164 - 178

Received: 07 Feb 2020
Accepted: 10 Aug 2020
Published online: 22 Jun 2021 *