New advances in nanotechnology and material processing is creating opportunities for the design and fabrication of a new generation of thin film sensors that can used to assess structural health. In particular, thin film sensors attached to large areas of the structure surface has the potential to provide spatially rich data on the performance and health of a structure. This study focuses on the development of a fully integrated strain sensor that is fabricated on a flexible substrate for potentially use in sensing skins. This is completed using a carbon nanotube-polymer composite material that is patterned on a flexible polyimide substrate using optical lithography. The piezoresistive carbon nanotube elements are integrated into a complete sensing system by patterning copper electrodes and integrating off-the-shelf electrical components on the flexible film for expanded functionality. This diverse material utilization is realized in a versatile process flow to illustrate a powerful toolbox for sensing severity, location, and failure mode of damage on structural components. The fully integrated patterned carbon nanotube strain sensor is tested on a quarter-scale, composite beam column connection. The results and implications for future structural damage detection are discussed.

Date Published: 20 April 2016
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 9803, Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2016, 98030S (20 April 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2222501

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9803:
Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2016
Jerome P. Lynch, Editor(s)