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This thesis investigates the use of carbon nanotube (CNT) thread for use in distributed structural health monitoring (SHM) systems, specifically as an embedded damage and strain sensor for laminated polymeric fiber composite materials. CNT thread has shown potential to be integrated into/onto composite materials to provide confident damage detection, localization, and characterization in complex geometries without complicated detection algorithms and minimal sensing channels. This thesis articulates work done with CNT thread performance as a strain sensor, an evaluation of sensor invasiveness, identification of matrix cracking (fatigue damage), a study of damaging and non-damaging impact events, potential SHM design architectures for aircraft, and the multifunctional aspect of damping. Multifunctional here implies improving the composite material besides self-sensing of damage and strain. Besides improving the material in other ways, CNT thread is low in weight, small in size, and the material is modest in cost. As a consequence of these strong sensor and material characteristics, the author believes that this could be a game changing material for high cost composite vehicles. It is envisioned that future military and commercial composite vehicles will utilize technologies such as this sensing thread to provide safety, reliability, durability, condition-based maintenance, and multifunctionality to the structure. |
