Metamaterials are engineered materials with unique properties that are not typically found in nature, making them highly effective for sensing applications. These materials derive their extraordinary capabilities from their precisely structured geometries, rather than their composition. In the context of sensing, metamaterials can be designed to interact with electromagnetic waves in ways that amplify or detect small changes in their environment, such as pressure, temperature, or strain. This makes them ideal for structural health monitoring, where they can provide real-time, remote insights into the integrity of infrastructure or materials by detecting subtle shifts in mechanical properties. By embedding metamaterial-based sensors within structures, it's possible to track strain, deformation, or damage with high sensitivity, offering a more efficient and scalable approach to maintaining safety in large-scale systems like bridges, buildings, and aircraft.
School
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research Area
Structural Health Monitoring
- Research environment
- Expected outcomes
- Supervisory team
- Reference material/links
This research will be conducted in collaboration with the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, as well as the School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications at UNSW. The student will begin with an extensive literature review on the use of metamaterials in sensing, followed by detailed numerical investigations using the COMSOL environment to characterize the sensing performance of the designed metasurfaces.
The expected outcomes of using metamaterials for sensing include enhanced sensitivity and precision in detecting environmental changes, such as strain, pressure, or temperature, in real time. By leveraging the unique electromagnetic properties of metamaterials, sensors can detect even minor structural deformations or material defects with high accuracy. This could lead to significant advancements in structural health monitoring systems, offering more reliable and efficient ways to assess the integrity of critical infrastructure like bridges, buildings, and aircraft. Additionally, metamaterial-based sensors are expected to be compact, scalable, and capable of operating in a wide range of environmental conditions, further expanding their potential applications in various industries.
