PECASE: Nanoengineered Sensing Skins for Structural Health Monitoring - An Integrated Research and Education Career Experience

结构健康监测（SHM）系统为老化的民用基础设施系统提供了具有成本效益的健康管理解决方案。 当前的SHM系统的特征在于使用测量系统中特定点处的行为的传感器。 相比之下，该提案探索了分布式传感皮肤的创建，该皮肤提供损伤的直接空间映射。 提出的传感器范例的灵感来自于人类皮肤系统，它提供了分布式的，多模态的环境传感。 采用碳纳米管和聚电解质的受控分子组装产生均匀的多层薄膜，其中同时嵌入四种传感模式：应变，pH值，湿度和离子吸收。 为了测量对应于每个刺激的电导率变化的空间分布，采用电阻抗断层成像。 智能结构技术也可以作为一个令人兴奋的背景下教数学和科学的中学生。 为了解决缺乏多样性的工程和开发的年轻代表性不足的学生的工程专业的认识，一个中学外展计划提出了内城底特律。 将创建实践学习模块，探索传感器操作背后的科学原理和结构损伤的形成。 此外，我们亦会开设一个有关智能结构技术的专业短期课程，以招聘专业工程师担任外展导师。

Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems offer cost-effective health management solutions for aging civil infrastructure systems. Current SHM systems are characterized by the use of sensors that measure behavior at a specific point in the system. In contrast, this proposal explores the creation of a distributed sensing skin that provides direct spatial mapping of damage. The sensor paradigm proposed is inspired by the human dermatological system which offers distributed, multimodal sensing of the environment. Controlled molecular assembly employing carbon nanotubes and polyelectrolytes yields a homogenous multi-layered thin film in which four sensing modalities are simultaneously embedded: strain, pH, humidity and ionic uptake. To measure the spatial distribution of conductivity changes corresponding to each stimulus, electrical impedance tomography is adopted. Smart structure technology can also serve as an exciting backdrop for teaching math and science to middle-school students. To address the lack of diversity in engineering and to develop an awareness of the engineering profession in young underrepresented students, a middle-school outreach program is proposed for inner-city Detroit. Hands-on learning modules that explore the scientific principles behind the operation of sensors and the formation of damage in structures will be created. In addition, a professional short-course on smart structure technology will be created to recruit professional engineers to serve as outreach mentors.