Structural health monitoring sensor system and method using resonant transmission line sensors
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorDevlin M. Gualtieri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A structural health monitoring system and method uses a resonant transmission line sensor. A resonant transmission line sensor, which includes one or more sensor conductors and a dielectric material disposed at least proximate the one or more sensor conductors, is coupled to the structure. The dielectric material exhibits a dielectric constant that varies when at least a portion of the transmission line sensor is subjected to one or more stimuli. One or more resonant frequencies of the transmission line sensor are determined, and the determined one or more resonant frequencies are then correlated to the structural health of the structure.
Claims9
A method of monitoring structural health of a structure, comprising the steps of:
- coupling a resonant transmission line sensor to the structure, the transmission line sensor including one or more sensor conductors and a dielectric material disposed at least proximate the one or more sensor conductors, the dielectric material exhibiting a dielectric constant that varies when at least a portion of the dielectric material is subjected to one or more stimuli;
- supplying a drive signal to the resonant transmission line sensor to thereby produce a reflected signal;
- summing the reflected signal and the sensor drive signal to produce a standing wave signal;
- processing the standing wave signal to determine one or more resonant frequencies of the transmission line sensor;
- and
- correlating the determined one or more resonant frequencies to the structural health of the structure to which the resonant transmission line sensor is coupled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.