TY - CHAP A1 - de Oliveira, Rui A1 - Marques, A.T. ED - Burnett, J.K. T1 - Optical fibre sensors for acoustic emission waves detection in composites T2 - Theory and Uses of Acoustic Emissions N2 - In aeronautic and space engineering, safety is a major aspect. Periodical inspections by different non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques are performed to assess the structural integrity. The accuracy of such inspection is high ly dependent on the skills of the technician. To be more efficient automated procedures independent of human decision are needed. The costs for such inspections are also significant as they require immobilisation of aircrafts. Alternative on-line structural health monitoring (SHM) procedure capable to detect, acquire, and identify damage should permit important cost reductions but also safety increase from real-time damage assessment. The increasing application of composite materials in modern aircrafts and spacecrafts permits the development of such procedure from the embedment of sensors and actuators in the structure during manufacturing. PY - 2011 SN - 978-1-61209-960-6 IS - Chapter 1 SP - 1 EP - 28 PB - Nova Science Publishers, Inc. AN - OPUS4-24302 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -