Multifunctional composite structures with damage sensing capabilities
type: CreativeWork
description: The scope of this thesis is to reveal, identify and investigate promising routes for developing multifunctional composite structures with damage sensing capabilities towards the development of integrated non-destructive inspection (NDI) and structural health monitoring (SHM) capabilities. Two routes were identified and selected for further investigation; the enhancement of multifunctionality of composite systems through the use of nanotechnology and the development of novel damage sensing techniques based on the electrical properties of the composites. Both were selected in the view of better integration of NDI/SHM functionality. Initially, the use of nanotechnology to control the properties of polymer foam systems as part of multifunctional sandwich composite structures has been validated and proven feasible. Electrically conductive nano-composite foams were developed at a varying range of densities. The level of conductivity was controlled by the CNT concentration. The underlying mechanisms for the formation of the CNT network were analyzed closely and as a result a practical processing-structure-property map was proposed for describing the material capabilities. Towards the development of self-sensing functionality, the established electrical conductivity was studied as an index of strain and damage in nano-composite foams. A 1D electrical resistance sensing approach was followed during mechanical compression testing (Electrical Resistance Change Method – ERCM). The variations of the recordings revealed the strain and damage formation within the material. The distinct regions in the response curve were correlated to micro-structural strain and damage mechanisms, effectively demonstrating the capability to develop multifunctional structural materials with self-sensing capabilities. In the direction of novel sensing techniques, answering to the need for an electrical based approach that is transferable and scalable to 2D and even further to more complex 3D shell ge…
abstract: The scope of this thesis is to reveal, identify and investigate promising routes for developing multifunctional composite structures with damage sensing capabilities towards the development of integrated non-destructive inspection (NDI) and structural health monitoring (SHM) capabilities. Two routes were identified and selected for further investigation; the enhancement of multifunctionality of composite systems through the use of nanotechnology and the development of novel damage sensing techniques based on the electrical properties of the composites. Both were selected in the view of better integration of NDI/SHM functionality. Initially, the use of nanotechnology to control the properties of polymer foam systems as part of multifunctional sandwich composite structures has been validated and proven feasible. Electrically conductive nano-composite foams were developed at a varying range of densities. The level of conductivity was controlled by the CNT concentration. The underlying mechanisms for the formation of the CNT network were analyzed closely and as a result a practical processing-structure-property map was proposed for describing the material capabilities. Towards the development of self-sensing functionality, the established electrical conductivity was studied as an index of strain and damage in nano-composite foams. A 1D electrical resistance sensing approach was followed during mechanical compression testing (Electrical Resistance Change Method – ERCM). The variations of the recordings revealed the strain and damage formation within the material. The distinct regions in the response curve were correlated to micro-structural strain and damage mechanisms, effectively demonstrating the capability to develop multifunctional structural materials with self-sensing capabilities. In the direction of novel sensing techniques, answering to the need for an electrical based approach that is transferable and scalable to 2D and even further to more complex 3D shell ge…
author: Μπαλτόπουλος, Αθανάσιος
language: en
keywords: Multifunctional composite structures, Nanocomposite foams, Carbon nanotubes, CFRP, Damage sensing, Non-destructive evaluation, Electrical resistance change method, Electrical tomography, Dipole techniques, Damage mapping, 620.115, Πολυλειτουργικές κατασκευές από σύνθετα υλικά, Νανο-σύνθετοι αφροί, Νανοσωλήνες άνθρακα, Πλαστικά ενισχυμένα με ίνες άνθρακα, Ανίχνευση βλάβης, Μη καταστροφικός έλεγχος, Μέθοδος μεταβολής ηλεκτρικής αντίστασης, Ηλεκτρική τομογραφία, Τεχνική διπόλου, Χαρτογράφηση βλάβης
date published: 2014-06-18T09:23:15Z
date modified: 2026-07-27T20:29:42Z
provider: University of Patras
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Patras

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/10889/7832