Performance evaluation of smart grid fabrics comprising carbon dry fabrics and PVDF ribbon sensors for structural health monitoring

The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of smart grid fabrics (SGF) comprising carbon dry fabric and a number of polyvinylidene fluoride ribbons with piezoelectric characteristics. Smart grid fabrics embedding composite structures can perform real-time structural integrity diagnoses under service conditions. Sensitivity checks of SGF sensors embedded in carbon/epoxy composite laminates under a drop-weight impact loading were performed. Finally, frequency analysis techniques, such as short-time Fourier transform and discrete wavelet transform, were used to correlate the frequency components of the output signals with the corresponding material failure modes of the composite laminate. Based on the results from a series of experimental tests, the feasibility of constructing smart composite structures using SGFs was verified.