Methods of distributed sensing for health monitoring of composite materialstructures

The use of composites in the transportation industry is hindered by their s usceptibility to damage. Defects that occur during manufacturing or an impa ct during normal operation can significantly reduce the strength of the com posite. Consequently, methods of structural health monitoring (SHM) are nee ded to verify and continuously monitor the integrity of composite structure s. The use of integrated and distributed sensors to develop intelligent com posites is a promising approach because large composite structures can be m onitored with minimal human intervention. This paper discusses the use of a scanning laser vibrometer (SLV) and piezoceramic materials for distributed sensing. Results of different experiments are summarized. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.