Expert Lecture Spotlight | Prof. D. D. L. Chung
Structural Self-Sensing Based on Measuring Resistance, Capacitance, or Inductance
What if structural materials could monitor their own health—without embedded sensors?
In this visionary lecture, Prof. D. D. L. Chung explores the concept of structural self-sensing, where materials sense their own deformation or damage by changes in their electrical properties—eliminating the need for external sensors.
Why Self-Sensing?
Compared to sensor incorporation, structural self-sensing offers:
Lower cost
Higher durability
Larger sensing volume
No degradation of mechanical properties
Three Modes of Electrical Self-Sensing:
- Resistance-Based Sensing
- Applicable to conductive materials like carbon fiber composites
- Damage and strain alter resistivity, enabling accurate detection
- Capacitance-Based Sensing
- Applicable to both conductive and non-conductive materials
- Sensitive to changes in permittivity caused by strain or damage
- Inductance-Based Sensing
- Suitable for conductive materials
- Responds to shape-changing deformation (e.g., bending) via inductance shifts
This expansion from traditional resistance sensing to capacitance and inductance opens new doors for multifunctional smart structures in fields such as aerospace, civil infrastructure, and robotics.
Now available on the cdmHUB YouTube channel as part of the Global Composites Expert Webinar Series.
