Published in Chemistry World, 30 Mar 2011
Researchers in the US have created a new system for monitoring structural damage in real time. Based on a carbon nanotube composite, the system uses thermal imaging to reveal areas of unsafe cracks and stresses.
Damage detection systems are already used in some civil structures and aircraft. In helicopters, for instance, systems monitor the vibration of gearboxes and bearings to spot dangerous behaviour before anything fails. Other systems use strain gauges with computer models to predict when structures are close to fracture. […]
The rest of this article is available here.