• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.133-146
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• 2007

This paper addresses a new type of broad and stage-based hybrid carbon fiber reinforced polymer (HCFRP) sensor that is suitable for the sensing of infrastructures. The HCFRP sensors, a type of composite sensor, are fabricated with three types of carbon tows of different strength and moduli. For all of the specimens, the active materials are carbon tows by virtue of their electrical conductivity and piezoresistivity. The measurement principles are based on the micro- and macro-fractures of different types of carbon tows. A series of experiments are carried out to investigate the sensing performances of the HCFRP sensors. The main variables include the stack order and volume fractions of different types of carbon tows. It is shown that the change in electrical resistance is in direct proportion to the strain/load in low strain ranges. However, the fractional change in electrical resistance (${\Delta}R/R_0$) is smaller than 2% prior to the macrofractures of carbon tows. In order to improve the resistance changes, measures are taken that can enhance the values of ${\Delta}R/R_0$ by more than 2 times during low strain ranges. In high strain ranges, the electrical resistance changes markedly with strain/load in a step-wise manner due to the gradual ruptures of different types of carbon tows at different strain amplitudes. The values of ${\Delta}R/R_0$ due to the fracture of high modulus carbon tows are larger than 36%. Thus, it is demonstrated that the HCFRP sensors have a broad and stage-based sensing capability.