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The ORCID identification number(s) for the author(s) of this article can be found under https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.201700240. Liquid ReinforcementStiffness and impact strength are among the most important design parameters which can be optimized to a great extent in a composite having a solid-solid microstructure, nanostructures, and their interfaces. [1][2][3][4][5][6] To improve these two properties, higher modulus (stiffness) reinforcements such as ceramic [7,8] particles are most commonly added to a compliant soft polymer matrices; [9] improvements in stiffness [10,11] up to ≈50% can be achieved by this approach. Further, drastic improvement can be achieved with addition of nanosized [10,12,13] reinforcement such as silica, [14] nanoclay, [7] aluminum oxide, [15] carbon nanotubes [9,[16][17][18][19][20] (single and multiwall)

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Prognosis regarding durability of composite structures using various Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) techniques is an important and challenging topic of research. Ultrasonic SHM systems with embedded transducers have potential application here due to their instant monitoring capability, compact packaging potential toward unobtrusiveness and noninvasiveness as compared to non-contact ultrasonic and eddy current techniques which require disassembly of the structure. However, embedded sensors pose a risk to the structure by acting as a flaw thereby reducing life. The present paper focuses on the determination of strength and fatigue life of the composite laminate with embedded film sensors like CNT nanocomposite, PVDF thin films and piezoceramic films. First, the techniques of embedding these sensors in composite laminates is described followed by the determination of static strength and fatigue life at coupon level testing in Universal Testing Machine (UTM). Failure mechanisms of the composite laminate with embedded sensors are studied for static and dynamic loading cases. The coupons are monitored for loading and failure using the embedded sensors. A comparison of the performance of these three types of embedded sensors is made to study their suitability in various applications. These three types of embedded sensors cover a wide variety of applications, and prove to be viable in embedded sensor based SHM of composite structures.

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