Novel sensing media based on ferromagnetic microwires for application to the remote imaging of the stress distribution

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel ferromagnetic microwire-based composite medium that visualizes mechanical stress distribution remotely by exploiting stress-dependent permittivity changes, enabling advanced structural health monitoring.

Contribution

It presents a new composite material with stress-sensitive dielectric properties for remote stress imaging using microwave techniques.

Findings

Permittivity varies with mechanical stress.

Enables remote visualization of stress distribution.

Applicable for structural health monitoring.

Abstract

In this research project we propose a new composite medium, which can visualise the mechanical stress at any stage: before and after damage. The main feature of the proposed stress-tuneable composite is its permittivity (dielectric constant), which depends on the mechanical stress. This kind of composite material can be characterised as a "sensing medium" that opens up new possibilities for remote monitoring of stress with the use of microwave transceiving techniques. The composite material can be made as a bulk medium or as thin cover to image the mechanical stress distribution inside construction or on its surface.