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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 235 records · Page 13

Projection-Based Constrained Fusion Performance with Link Loss and Measurement Bias

Sensor networks have been deployed in many real-world applications for tracking and monitoring of dynamic targets over large geographical areas. We consider a scenario where a number of ground and/or airborne sensors are used to jointly track a ground target with certain constraints on its motion dynamics, such as those defined by roadways. The state estimates from these sensors are sent over a lossy communications network to a remote fusion center for fusion. We propose both centralized and distributed projection-based methods to incorporate known constraints into the estimation and fusion process. In addition to presenting simple closed-form projected fusion solutions, we also show how to utilize knowledge of the constraints into the fusion process by two distance-based weighting methods. Wealso explore the effect of link loss and sensor measurement bias on tracking accuracy performance of constrained fusion using illustrative tracking examples. Performance evaluation results demonstrate the potential of adopting weighted average fusers in improving the overall tracking performance in the presenceof link loss and measurement bias.

Liu, Qiang↗

Low-Cost Multi-Modal Wireless Sensor Platform for Smart Buildings

Buildings consume 73% of the energy produced in the United States [1, 2]. Advanced sensors, controls, and communications have the potential to reduce the energy consumption of buildings by 20–40% [3, 4]. Currently, installation and wiring costs for sensors are quite high, making it cost-prohibitive for building managers to deploy large quantities of advanced sensors [5]. Wireless sensors have recently been deployed in buildings to provide the information necessary for optimal control of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning and lighting systems [6, 7]. Wireless sensors have the unique advantage of being suitable for easily retrofitting existing buildings at a minimal labor cost, and the flexibility to be placed at optimal, observable locations. However, current commercially available wireless sensors are still very expensive ($150–300/node). Thus, revolutionary technological improvements in wireless sensors are required to promote inherently low-cost manufacturing for building applications to successfully exploit the energy efficiency opportunities in buildings.In this report, we present the efforts carried out at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Molex Inc. toward exploring the design, implementation, and performance evaluation of low-cost, self-powered wireless sensors—including temperature, relative humidity, occupancy, and indoor air quality sensors—to enable advanced control applications that reduce energy consumption in buildings. Our focus is to demonstrate a novel multifunctional sensor platform that will evolve with advances in materials technology, low-cost printing techniques, nano-antennas, and co-integration of monitoring, control, and communication circuitry. We also present a low-power and bandwidth-efficient wireless communication technology that can be driven by energy harvesting in self-powered wireless sensors. It is based on code-phase-shift keying (CPSK) spread-spectrum signaling that improves both transmitter range and power consumption. The objective is to minimize the number of components within the wireless transceiver and reduce power consumption to allow sensor networks powered by energy harvesting, thus eliminating the expense and effort of periodically replacing the sensor batteries. Current state-of-the-art radio technologies have demonstrated 25–30 mA current consumption for the transmitter. Our prototype demonstrations lowered the consumption to 4 mA using spread-spectrum-based CPSK so that solar cells can be used with indoor lighting to recharge a battery indefinitely. Therefore, the system can run with no attention or maintenance for the life of the components, which is expected to be 20 years. The developed technology has the potential to generate fully printable wireless sensors with costs on the order of $1–10/node.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Quantum Networks for High Energy Physics

Quantum networks of quantum objects promise to be exponentially more powerful than the objects considered independently. To live up to this promise will require the development of error mitigation and correction strategies to preserve quantum information as it is initialized, stored, transported, utilized, and measured. The quantum information could be encoded in discrete variables such as qubits, in continuous variables, or anything in-between. Quantum computational networks promise to enable simulation of physical phenomena of interest to the HEP community. Quantum sensor networks promise new measurement capability to test for new physics and improve upon existing measurements of fundamental constants. Such networks could exist at multiple scales from the nano-scale to a global-scale quantum network.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Secure mmWave Spectrum Sharing with Autonomous Beam Scheduling for 5G and Beyond

Spectrum Sharing (SS) has seen a renewed set of initiatives in 5G with the availability of shared and unlicensed spectrum bands that can be used by multiple cellular service providers and private cellular networks. Beam based transmission, instead of the traditional sector based transmission in conjunction with the spectrum agility of the 5G New Radio (NR) has brought new opportunities to optimized sharing of spectrum. Currently in the U.S., a centralized Spectrum Access Server (SAS) is used to co-ordinate spectrum sharing among networks sharing the same spectrum band. However, SAS becomes a focal point for security attacks and a performance bottleneck. In addition, SAS relies on an Environmental Sensor Network (ESN), separate from the 5G network. Without trusted spectral occupancy information, false reporting of spectrum sensing data can create sub-optimal and unfair spectrum usage. This paper summarizes our recent research findings in using a decentralized scheme for multiple networks to securely share spectrum with autonomous beam scheduling : 1) A new stochastic network framework based on Lyapunov Optimization approach is developed to optimize scheduling at the base stations; 2) Game theoretic (GT) approach is used to formulate the distributed scheduler; 3) Another distributed scheduler with Q-learning is presented that utilizes the Reinforcement Learning (RL) approach; 4) The performance and convergence rate of these distributed solutions to use shared and unlicensed spectrum are compared with existing solutions. Conditions under which the performance of these schedulers approach the theoretical upper bound, which is the performance possible with no interference among the operators sharing the spectrum, are presented; 5) The ability of a base station to use its own user equipment as sensors, for optimal spectrum sharing with base stations in other operator networks, is demonstrated to be an effective approach.

5G↗

DynamiteNSM

DynamiteNSM is a free Network Security Monitor (NSM), built on top of several leading, enterprise-grade technologies. The tool provides network and cybersecurity operators with holistic insights into their networks while giving them the ability to deep-dive into lower-level activities. The solution presents powerful dashboards, giving comprehensive view into performance and threat-based metrics. Dynamite-NSM can be easily deployed in different environments including high-speed data centers, small-to-large enterprises, IoT & industrial networks, and even at home. Dynamite-NSM handles massive volumes of network traffic through scalable ingestion and optimized network sensors. The solution includes two key components: the agent and the monitor. The agent analyzes and forwards network events, while the monitor processes incoming events and displays analytic information. The monitor component builds upon the OpenSearch stack and is coupled with network packet inspection by Zeek and Suricata. Dynamite-NSM is designed to be deployed very quickly with minimal configuration. Unlike many other tools, it can be installed and managed with a standalone command-line utility. The system is inherently passive without disruption to the network. There is no need to install agents on every computer, perform network scans, or directly interact with network assets.

Becker, Jamin↗

EC MoDeRn Project: In-situ Demonstration of Innovative Monitoring Technologies for Geological Disposal - 12053

Monitoring to provide information on the evolution of geological disposal presents several challenges. The 4-year, euros M 5, EC MoDeRn Project (http://www.modern-fp7.eu/), which commenced in 2009, addresses monitoring processes, state-of-the-art technology and innovative research and development of monitoring techniques. This paper discusses some of the key drivers for the development of innovative monitoring techniques and provides outlines of the demonstration programmes being conducted within MoDeRn. The aim is to develop these innovative monitoring techniques and to demonstrate them under realistic conditions present in underground laboratories. These demonstration projects, applying a range of different monitoring techniques, are being carried out at underground research facilities in different geological environments at HADES URL in Belgium (plastic clay), Bure in France (indurated clay) and at Grimsel Test Site (granite) in Switzerland. These are either built upon existing infrastructure (EC ESDRED Low pH shotcrete and TEM experiments at Grimsel; and PRACLAY experiment and underground galleries in HADES) or will be attached to infrastructure that is being developed and financed by resources outside of this project (mock-up disposal cell in Bure). At Grimsel Test Site, cross-hole and hole-to-tunnel seismic methods are being employed as a means to monitor induced changes in an artificially saturated bentonite wall confined behind a shotcrete plug. Recognising the limitations for travel-time tomography for monitoring a disposal cell, full waveform inversion techniques are being employed to enhance the capacity to monitor remote from the excavation. At the same Grimsel location, an investigation will be conducted of the potential for using a high frequency wireless (HFW) sensor network embedded within the barrier system; this will include the possibility of providing energy remotely to isolated sensors. At the HADES URL, the monitoring programme will utilise the PRACLAY gallery equipped to simulate a disposal gallery for heat-generating high-level waste evaluating fibre-optic based sensing techniques, including distributed sensing for thermal distribution and long-term reliability in harsh conditions. It also includes the potential to improve the treatment of signals from micro-seismic monitoring to enable enhanced understanding of the evolution around the gallery following its excavation due to ventilation, saturation and heating, and to image a water-bearing concretion layer. HADES URL will also be used to test wireless techniques to transmit monitoring data from the underground to the surface. The main focus of this contribution is to evaluate magneto-inductive data transmission; and to optimise energy usage. At the Bure underground facility in France, monitoring systems have been developed and will be embedded into the steel liner for the mock-up high-level waste disposal tunnel. The aim of this programme is to establish the capacity to conduct integrated monitoring activities inside the disposal cell, on the cell liner and in the near-field and to assess the capability of the monitoring to withstand construction and liner emplacement procedures. These projects, which are supported by focused development and testing of the monitoring systems, will allow the testing of both the effectiveness of these techniques applied to disposal situations and to understand the limits of these monitoring technologies. This approach should also enhance the confidence of key stakeholders in the ability to understand/confirm the changes occurring within a disposal cell. In addition, remote or 'non-intrusive' monitoring technologies are evaluated to provide a means of enhancing understanding of what is occurring in an isolated disposal cell. The projects also test solutions for embedded monitoring systems in challenging (risk of damage) situations. The outputs from this work will lead to improved understanding of these state-of-the-art techniques and allow focused development of those techniques beneficial to future monitoring programmes. It is also planned, as part of the MoDeRn programme of stakeholder engagement to show some of these monitoring demonstrations to lay stakeholders in order to receive their feed-back on the approach taken and their views on the value of this work. This feedback will help improve our understanding of how this work and future work on monitoring can be more effectively communicated. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

TROPOS pyranometer network (PyrNet) observational data set collected during the S2VSR field campaign

During the Small-Scale Variability of Solar Radiation field campaign (S2VSR), a unique sensor network consisting of 60 autonomous pyranometer stations was deployed for a 12-week period at the ARM Southern Great Plains observatory. Stations have been distributed across a 4x4 to 6x6 km2 domain surrounding the Central Facility. Each station has recorded global radiation together with air temperature and relative humidity with a sampling frequency of 1-Hz. The network has provided a data set with an unprecedented level of detail of the small-scale variability of global solar radiation at the surface, resolving fluctuations down to the second- and decameter-scale.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Hybrid classical-quantum communication networks

Over the past several decades, the proliferation of global classical communication networks has transformed various facets of human society. Concurrently, quantum networking has emerged as a dynamic field of research, driven by its potential applications in distributed quantum computing, quantum sensor networks, and secure communications. This prompts a fundamental question: rather than constructing quantum networks from scratch, can we harness the widely available classical fiber-optic infrastructure to establish hybrid quantum–classical networks? This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of ongoing research endeavors aimed at integrating quantum communication protocols, such as quantum key distribution, into existing lightwave networks. This approach offers the substantial advantage of reducing implementation costs by allowing classical and quantum communication protocols to share optical fibers, communication hardware, and other network control resources—arguably the most pragmatic solution in the near term. In the long run, classical communication will also reap the rewards of innovative quantum communication technologies, such as quantum memories and repeaters. Accordingly, our vision for the future of the Internet is that of heterogeneous communication networks thoughtfully designed for the seamless support of both classical and quantum communications.

Fiber-optic communication↗

Molecular Engineering of 2D Nanomaterial Field-Effect Transistor Sensors: Fundamentals and Translation across Innovation Spectrum

We report over the last decade, 2D layered nanomaterials have attracted significant attention across the scientific community due to their rich and exotic properties. Various nanoelectronic devices based on these 2D nanomaterials have been explored and demonstrated, including those for environmental applications. Here, the fundamental attributes of 2D layered nanomaterials for field-effect transistor (FET) sensors and tunneling FET (TFET) sensors, which provide versatile detection of water contaminants such as heavy-metal ions, bacteria, nutrients, and organic pollutants, are discussed. The major challenges and opportunities are also outlined for designing and fabricating 2D nanomaterial FET/TFET sensors with superior performance. Translation of these FET/TFET sensors from fundamental research to applied technology is illustrated through a case study on graphene-based real-time FET water sensors. A second case study centers on large-scale sensor networks for water-quality monitoring to enable intelligent drinking water and river-water systems. Overall, 2D nanomaterial FET sensors have significant potential for enabling a human-centered intelligent water system that can likely be applied to other precarious water supplies around the globe.

2D nanomaterials↗

AOI [3]: Smart Refractory Sensor Systems for Wireless Monitoring of Temperature, Health, and Degradation of Slagging Gasifiers

The objective of the work was to develop refractory “smart bricks”, which would contain embedded temperature, strain/stress, and spallation sensors throughout the volume of highchromia (-Cr 2 O 3 ) refractory brick. The proposed work included work to interconnect the sensors to the reactor exterior, where the sensor signals may be processed by low-power electronics and transmitted wirelessly to a central processing hub. The data processing and wireless transmitter hardware was specifically designed to be isolated (with low power consumption) and to be adaptable to future implementation of energy-harvesting strategies for extended life. Finally, the collected data was incorporated into a model to estimate refractory degradation, a technique that could help monitor the health of the refractory in real-time. The long-term goal of this program was to demonstrate high-temperature, wireless sensor arrays for in situ three-dimensional (3-D) refractory monitoring or mapping for slagging gasification systems. The research was in collaboration with HarbisonWalker International (HWI) Technology Center in West Mifflin, PA. HWI is a leading developer and manufacturer of ceramic refractory products for high-temperature applications. The work completed focused on the following areas: 1) Investigation of the chemical stability, microstructural evolution, grain growth kinetics, degree of homogeneity (quantitative image analysis), and electrical properties of refractory oxide-silicide composites at temperatures between 750-1450ºC; 2) Fabrication of silicide-alumina composite and oxide thermocouples and thermistor preforms and the development of techniques to embed them into high-chromia refractory bricks to form “smart bricks”; 3) Utilization of commercial off-the-shelf discrete components to prototype circuits for interfacing between smart brick sensors and the wireless sensor network. The prototypes were then used to design an integrated circuit for thermistor, thermocouple, and capacitive-based smart brick sensor interfacing; 4) Interfacing of the smart bricks with embedded sensors with wireless motes thus yielding a complete signal chain. This end-to-end data collection system was tested on a furnace heated to 1350°C; 5) Development of a slag penetration model and a nonlinear unknown input filter for the data from the embedded sensors for estimating temperature and extent of slag penetration.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Bayesian Optimal Sensor Augmentation Via Estimated Mutual Information

We consider the problem of designing a sensor network to most efficiently locate the source of a seismic event. The left panel of Figure 1 shows 982 possible sensor locations in a region of interest. The objective is to infer the unknown location of an earthquake, indicated by the gold dot for illustration purposes. Assume that three sensors have already been placed for data collection. Travel times of the P-wave from the source to the three sensors are observed and used to infer the unknown source location via a Bayesian statistical model described subsequently. The right panel of Figure 1 shows samples from the resulting posterior distribution for source location along with a posterior estimate of this location.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Networked Gamma Radiation Detection System for Rapid Tactical Response

A networked gamma radiation detection system with directional sensitivity and energy spectral data acquisition capability is being developed by the National Security Technologies, LLC, to support the close and intense tactical engagement of law enforcement who carry out counterterrorism missions. In the proposed design, three clusters of 2' × 4' × 16' sodium iodide crystals (4 each) with digiBASE-E (for list mode data collection) would be placed on the passenger side of a minivan. To enhance localization and facilitate rapid identification of isotopes, advanced smart realtime localization and radioisotope identification algorithms like WAVRAD (wavelet-assisted variance reduction for anomaly detection) and NSCRAD (nuisance-rejection spectral comparison ratio anomaly detection) will be incorporated. We are testing a collection of algorithms and analysis on the problem of radiation detection with a distributed sensor network, examining such a network’s associated characteristics, and also the trade-offs between false positive alarm rates, true positive alarm rates, and time to detect multiple radiation sources in a large area. Empirical and simulation analyses of critical system parameters, such as number of sensors, sensor placement, and sensor response functions, are being examined. This networked system will provide an integrated radiation detection architecture and framework with (i) a large nationally recognized search database equivalent that would help generate a common operational picture in a major radiological crisis; (ii) a robust reach back connectivity for search data to be evaluated by home teams; and, finally, (iii) a possibility of integrating search data from multi-agency responders.

false alarm rate↗

Autonomic Intelligent Cyber Sensor to Support Industrial Control Network Awareness

The proliferation of digital devices in a networked industrial ecosystem, along with an exponential growth in complexity and scope, has resulted in elevated security concerns and management complexity issues. This paper describes a novel architecture utilizing concepts of Autonomic computing and a SOAP based IF-MAP external communication layer to create a network security sensor. This approach simplifies integration of legacy software and supports a secure, scalable, self-managed framework. The contribution of this paper is two-fold: 1) A flexible two level communication layer based on Autonomic computing and Service Oriented Architecture is detailed and 2) Three complementary modules that dynamically reconfigure in response to a changing environment are presented. One module utilizes clustering and fuzzy logic to monitor traffic for abnormal behavior. Another module passively monitors network traffic and deploys deceptive virtual network hosts. These components of the sensor system were implemented in C++ and PERL and utilize a common internal D-Bus communication mechanism. A proof of concept prototype was deployed on a mixed-use test network showing the possible real world applicability. In testing, 45 of the 46 network attached devices were recognized and 10 of the 12 emulated devices were created with specific Operating System and port configurations. Additionally the anomaly detection algorithm achieved a 99.9% recognition rate. All output from the modules were correctly distributed using the common communication structure.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Assessing the limitations of commercial sensors and models for supporting marine carbon dioxide removal monitoring: a case study

Several unknowns remain surrounding marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) practices and capabilities. Current in-situ sensor technology is limited (primarily pH and pCO 2 ), requiring calculations and assumptions to estimate changes in carbonate chemistry parameters, including total alkalinity (TA). Considering that cost, energy consumption, and accuracy of commercial sensors can vary by orders of magnitude, understanding how well existing sensors perform in an mCDR context is important for this emerging community. Likewise, documenting sensor limitations and how relatively simple models can optimize sensor deployments will improve MRV efforts and support protocol development. Here we (1) compare performance a variety of commercially available sensors in a blind mesocosm experiment simulating ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), and how sensor performance impacted carbonate chemistry estimates; (2) evaluate if sensors can distinguish the OAE signal from natural variability during a small scale OAE field test in Sequim Bay, WA, USA, and (3) use an idealized ocean biogeochemistry model to explore optimal sensor network design based on (1) and (2). Our mesocosm results indicate that correctly constraining pH uncertainty will be critical for accurate TA estimates with current sensor technology compared to the less impactful variation caused by uncertainty in pCO 2 (pH data that are presented throughout are reported on the total scale (pH T ) unless otherwise noted). Our pilot field test demonstrated that sensors were capable of distinguishing mCDR signatures from natural variability under optimal real-world conditions. Idealized modeling simulations of the field test showed that a range of sparse and dense (3 to 100) sensors sampling areas of detectable increases will underestimate the net change in surface pH by at least 35–55%, at both realistic and highly elevated alkalinity input levels. We also highlight the limitations of current sensing technology for MRV, and the importance of ocean biogeochemistry models as critical tools for predicting when and where mCDR signals will be detectable using available sensors. Overall, our findings suggest that commercially available pCO 2 sensors and some pH sensors will form an important backbone for mCDR MRV tasks, though complete MRV characterization will require these data to be used in combination with other tools.

OAE↗

The Concept of a Quantum Edge Simulator: Edge Computing and Sensing in the Quantum Era

Sensors, enabling observations across vast spatial, spectral, and temporal scales, are major data generators for information technology (IT). Processing, storing, and communicating this ever-growing amount of data pose challenges for the current IT infrastructure. Edge computing—an emerging paradigm to overcome the shortcomings of cloud-based computing—could address these challenges. Furthermore, emerging technologies such as quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communications have the potential to fill the performance gaps left by their classical counterparts. Here, we present the concept of an edge quantum computing (EQC) simulator—a platform for designing the next generation of edge computing applications. An EQC simulator is envisioned to integrate elements from both quantum technologies and edge computing to allow studies of quantum edge applications. The presented concept is motivated by the increasing demand for more sensitive and precise sensors that can operate faster at lower power consumption, generating both larger and denser datasets. These demands may be fulfilled with edge quantum sensor networks. Envisioning the EQC era, we present our view on how such a scenario may be amenable to quantification and design. Given the cost and complexity of quantum systems, constructing physical prototypes to explore design and optimization spaces is not sustainable, necessitating EQC infrastructure and component simulators to aid in co-design. We discuss what such a simulator may entail and possible use cases that invoke quantum computing at the edge integrated with new sensor infrastructures.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Material transfers detection with seismic observations

We are exploring the use of data from a seismic network around a research nuclear reactor and isotope production facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to study activity patterns related to the transfer of nuclear material. A sensor network with eight seismometers was installed around the High Flux Isotope Reactor and the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center and started operating in October 2019. These data are used to detect and characterize operational events around facility. We are using those data to extract signals related to the movement of vehicles involved in the transport of nuclear materials (e.g., transportation of reactor fuel, targets, and product isotopes). Large vehicles produce mechanical energy that can be observed as seismic signals, either as the result of sound emanating from the vehicle engine or by the generation of surface waves as a response of the ground to the load of the vehicles. In particular, the station located near the entrance gate of the facility displays a clear seismic signature as vehicles cross a metal platform on the ground. This signal is characterized by sharp energy bursts that correspond to the number of axles on the vehicle. We developed and are testing an algorithm to identify sequences of energy bursts to count and characterize vehicles of different sizes. We are also exploring the use of seismic polarization analysis to measure the degree of polarization of the observed signals. These two techniques for detection and characterization of vehicles used for nuclear material transfers will be validated with seismic data from a targeted collection using different vehicles and routes similar to the ones used in real-life scenarios at the High Flux Isotope Reactor.

Marcillo, Omar↗

A data-driven CO 2 leakage detection using seismic data and spatial–temporal densely connected convolutional neural networks

In carbon capture and sequestration (also known as carbon capture and storage, or CCS), developing effective monitoring methods is needed to detect and respond to CO 2 leakage. CO 2 leakage detection methods rely on geophysical observations and monitoring sensor network. However, traditional methods usually require the development of site-specific physical models and expert interpretation, and the effectiveness of these methods can be limited to different application locations, operational scenarios, and conditions. Here, we developed a novel data-driven leakage detection method based on densely connected convolutional neural networks. Our method is an end-to-end detection approach, that differs from conventional leakage monitoring methods by directly learning a mapping relationship between seismic data and the CO 2 leakage mass. To account for the spatial and temporal characteristics of seismic data, our novel networks architecture combines 1D and 2D convolutional neural networks. To overcome the computational expense of solving optimization problems, we apply a densely-connecting strategy in our network architecture that reduces the number of network parameters. Based on the features generated by our convolutional neural networks, we further incorporate a long short-term memory network to utilize time-sequential information, which further improves the detection accuracy. Lastly, we employ our detection method to synthetic seismic datasets generated based on flow simulations of a hypothetical CO 2 storage scenario with injection into a partially compartmentalized sandstone storage reservoir. To evaluate method performance, we conducted multiple experiments including a random leakage test, a sequential test, and a robustness test. Numerical results show that our CO 2 leakage detection method successfully detects the leakage and accurately predicts the leakage mass, suggesting that it has the potential for application in monitoring of real CO 2 storage sites.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Low-cost sensor-based damage localization for large-area monitoring of FRP composites

Abstract In recent years, there has been growing interest in self-sensing structural materials across research and industry sectors. Detecting and locating structural damage typically requires numerous sensors wired to a data acquisition (DAQ) circuit, rendering implementation impractical in real structures. This paper proposes an innovative, cost-effective sensor network for damage detection and localization in fiber-reinforced polymer composites. The innovation encompasses three key elements: (1) utilizing carbon fiber tows within the composite as piezoresistive sensors, eliminating the need for additional foreign sensor devices; (2) introducing a novel sensor layout wherein sensor tow branches with varied resistance values are connected in parallel, reducing the number of connections to the DAQ circuit and cutting manufacturing costs significantly; (3) developing a practical sensor terminal fabrication technique to minimize manufacturing expenses. The proposed design methodology for the branch resistance values is first validated using a demonstration panel. Subsequently, the overall strategy is assessed by conducting impact tests on carbon and glass fiber-reinforced composite specimens. Results validate the sensor’s ability to accurately detect and locate structural damage.

Demo, Luke B. (ORCID:0000000208806522)↗