The Use of Piezoelectric Thin Film Sensors for Structural Integrity Monitoring

Abstract

This is a review of the work performed at the Defense Science and Technology Or ganisation, Aeronautical Research Laboratory, Melbourne, Australia and the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Monash University to develop "active" sensor technology using piezoelec tric thin films. The initial part of this review outlines a theoretical and experimental investigation on the characterisation of KYNAR piezoelectric thin film sensors. An experimental and theoretical study was then undertaken demonstrating the feasibility of using piezoelectric sensors to detect and monitor crack growth in a cracked aluminium specimen. The work was then extended to include a numerical investigation into the use of piezoelectric sensors to monitor crack growth, in an aluminium structure, beneath a boron/epoxy patch. Finally, the last section describes the use of piezoelectric sensors for detecting impact damage in composite structures.