Coated structure with a monitoring system, a method for monitoring cracking of a coated structure, a coating system, and a monitoring system

A method of detecting cracking in a cured coat covering a surface of a base, the method comprising:

• embedding at least one electrode in a cured coat and/or between two or more layers of cured coat;
• generating an input signal in the at least one electrode;
• and
• using a monitoring system to read an output signal from the at least one electrode and based thereon to determine cracking of the cured coat,
• wherein the at least one electrode is designed to break at the earliest simultaneously with said two or more layers cured coat during elongation of the coated structure,
• wherein the coating system comprises at least the two layers of cured coat joined in a coating interface and forming an adhesive inter coating bond strength, and
• wherein at least one of the at least one electrode is located in the coating interface and forms an adhesive electrode bond strength to both layers of cured coat, and
• wherein the adhesive electrode bond strength is higher or equivalent to the coating bond strength between the at least two layers of cured coat.

A coating system for protecting a base, the coating system comprising two or more layers of cured coat,

• wherein an electrode is embedded in at least one of said two or more layers of cured coat or between at least two or more layers of cured coat,
• wherein the cured coat bonded to the electrode exhibit a first elongation at break, and the electrode exhibit a second elongation at break,
• wherein the first elongation at break is at most equal to the second elongation at break such that the electrode is configured to break at the earliest simultaneously with the cured coat during elongation of the coated structure,
• wherein the coating system comprises at least the two layers of cured coat joined in a coating interface and forming an adhesive inter coating bond strength, and
• wherein at least one of the at least one electrode is located in the coating interface and forms an adhesive electrode bond strength to both layers of cured coat, and
• wherein the adhesive electrode bond strength is higher or equivalent to the coating bond strength between the at least two layers of cured coat.