Patent ID: 8800665

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a marine riser pipe section comprising a cylindrical form having an axis, the cylindrical form having an inner and an outer layer of a carbon epoxy matrix; a sensor associated with and circumscribing the marine riser pipe section, the sensor comprising a PolyVinyliDene Fluoride laminate sheet having upper and lower edges, each of the upper and lower edges being in a plane perpendicular to the axis, the sheet having an inner side and an outer side with an electrically conductive coating, defining an electrode on the inner side and an electrode on the outer side, the sensor constructed to generate electricity at the electrodes of the sensor responsive to mechanical stresses and strains of the marine riser pipe section; and wherein the sensor encircles the inner layer and is embedded between the inner and outer layers of the carbon epoxy matrix of the marine riser pipe.