Hybrid resilient and frangible layered structural health sensor
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMatthew K. Fay, Greg L. Sheffield
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AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMatthew K. Fay, Greg L. Sheffield
Estimating the term…
A sensor for monitoring and testing for both possible fractures and corrosion in structural elements is disclosed. A frangible material layer including a thin breakable conductor sense loop and a resilient material layer including a conductive corrosion sense loop bonded on top of the frangible layer form an assembly which is bonded to a structural element to be tested. Portions of the conductive corrosion sense loop are exposed through weep holes in the resilient material layer. A fracture in the bonded structural element induces a disruption in both the frangible membrane and the thin breakable conductor sense loop and corrosion of the conductive corrosion sense loop changes its electrical properties. Measured electrical property changes of the disrupted conductor sense loop and/or the conductive corrosion sense loop reveal possible damage. Both sensor layers may utilize a single shared wireless communications tag to couple to an electrical measuring device.
An apparatus for sensing structural integrity, comprising:
A method for sensing structural integrity, comprising the steps of
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.