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Publication
Self-sensing Hybrid Composite Rod with Braided Reinforcement for Structural Health Monitoring
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Enhancing the performance and lightness of different structures has already been
achieved by the employment of fibre reinforced composite materials. Nowadays, a new challenging
perspective is being given to these materials by the inclusion of non-metallic conductive
components. This emerging technology will lead to multifunctional composites with possible
applications in structural health monitoring and traffic monitoring. The aim is to avoid corrosion
problems from metallic components, as well as to eliminate the need of expensive equipments used
for the health monitoring of large infrastructures.
In the present research, the strain-sensing capability of a core-reinforced hybrid carbon fibre/glass
fibre braided composite has been investigated in order to develop continuous monitoring system.
The characterization of sensing behaviour was performed with the help of an instrumental set-up
capable of measuring the change in electrical resistance with mechanical stresses applied to the
samples. The effect of core composition (carbon fibre/glass fibre weight ratio) on the strain
sensitivity of the braided composites has been studied in order to find out the optimum composition
for best sensing capability. Among the three compositions studied (23/77, 47/53 and 100/0),
composites with lowest amount of carbon fibre showed the best strain sensitivity with gauge factors
up to 23.4 at very low flexural strain (0.55%). Attempts have also been made in this research to
develop a piezoresistive matrix for the braided composites in order to further enhance their strain
sensitivity. For this purpose, the strain sensing capability of an unsaturated polyester matrix
dispersed with chopped carbon fibres (1mm and 3 mm lengths) at various weight % (0.5, 0.75 and
1.25%) was evaluated in order to find out their optimum length and concentration. It was observed
that chopped fibres with different lengths showed similar strain sensitivity, which however,
improves with the decrease in their concentrations.
Description
Keywords
Self-monitoring Braided composites Chopped carbon fibres Strain sensitivity
Citation
Rosado, K., Rana, S., Gonilho-Pereira, C. & Fangueiro, R. (2013). Self-sensing Hybrid Composite Rod with Braided Reinforcement for Structural Health Monitoring. Materials Science Forum, 730-732, pp. 379-384