2000 Volume 12 Issue 3 Pages 262-267
This paper describes a basic concept and elemental developments to realize a new actuator made of active composite material to be used for smart structures. In this study, CFRP prepreg was laminated on aluminum plate to develop an actuator and this laminate could perform unidirectional actuation. SiC continuous fiber/Al composite thin plate could also be used to form a modified type of actuator instead of using CFRP. As sensors to be embedded in this actuator, the following ones were developed. (1) A pre-notched optical fiber filament was embedded in matrix material without fracture and fractured in it at the notch, which enabled forming of an optical interference type strain sensor. (2) Nickel wire could be uniformly oxidized and embedded in aluminum matrix without fracture, which could successfully work as a temperature sensor and a strain sensor.
