International Forum on Mechanoluminescence and Novel Structural Health Diagnosis 2011

Recently there have been innovative mechanoluminescent (ML) nano-particles made available, each of which emits visible light repeatedly in response to small stresses applied. When dispersedly coated on a structure, each particle acts as a sensitive mechanical sensor, while the 2-dimensional emission pattern of the whole assembly reflects well the dynamical stress distribution inside the structure. This provides a novel way of diagnosing the structural health, far more advantageous over the conventional point-by-point measurement method by use of a strain gage. It is possible to detect invisible defects and micro-cracks in small parts of machinery as well as to monitor the safety of huge constructions like bridges from shakes, damages and destruction. In this way, the use of innovative ML particles is about to cut open a way to novel structural health diagnosis.

This forum is held for the first time on ML and novel structural health diagnosis in the hope that the novel diagnosis technology will be better materialized through scrutiny from various standpoints, including the state-of-the art of it, future potentialities, and how to get it customized in practice. Researchers and specialists, active in this and relevant fields, are invited worldwide to this forum to discuss the subjects, to exchange information and to share common understandings. It will help us establishing guidelines and a roadmap for developing and materializing the novel diagnosis technology.

Topics in this forum are as shown below:

1. Health diagnoses: Non-destructive measurements, Full-field stress and strain measurements, etc.
2. New approaches on fundamental:Sensors/materials: Mechanoluminescence, Mechanochromism, Optical sensing, IR, etc.
3. Applications of ML based diagnoses: Bridge health monitoring, Pipeline defect inspection, etc.
4. Panel presentation & Discussion
5. Exhibition