Abstract: A pipe comprises a pipe wall formed of a composite material of at a matrix and a plurality of reinforcing fibres embedded within the matrix, wherein at least one circumferential segment of the pipe wall comprises or defines a local variation in construction to provide a local variation in a property of the pipe.

Abstract: A pipe comprises a pipe wall formed of a composite material of a matrix and a plurality of reinforcing fibres embedded within the matrix. At least one longitudinal portion of the pipe wall comprises or defines a local variation in construction to provide a variation in a property of the pipe.

Abstract: A pipe comprises a pipe wall formed of a composite material of a matrix and a plurality of reinforcing fibres embedded within the matrix, wherein the composite material in at least one region of the pipe wall is pre-stressed. The composite material in at least one region of the pipe wall comprises or defines at least one of a level of pre-tension and pre-compression.

Abstract: A system for the structural monitoring of blades 1 on a wind turbine. Each blade 1 has respective optical fiber bragg grating sensors 5. The system has a number of input connectors, which connect to the strain sensors 5 of respective blades 1. A single output connector connects to a data processing device 3 which processes signals from the strain sensors 5. The input connectors each have a signal path to the output connector that is different in length to the signal path from the other input connectors, such that signals from a given blade 1 can be identified at the data processing device 3 by the time of arrival of the signals. The system has the advantage that the each of the blades 1, including the sensors attached to it or embedded within it can be identical and therefore interchangeable.

Abstract: A vibration detector (1) comprising at least one fibre optic sensor (2) mechanically coupled to a flexible support member (3). The vibration detector (1) is mounted on the outside of the pipeline and a signal from the fibre optic sensor is measured. This signal is indicative of whether the vibration detector is experiencing vibrations due to collisions of contaminant particles with each other and/or with the walls of the pipeline. A method for detecting particulate contaminants in a fluid flowing in a pipeline is also provided.

Abstract: A system for the structural monitoring of blades 1 on a wind turbine. Each blade 1 has respective optical fibre bragg grating sensors 5. The system has a number of input connectors, which connect to the strain sensors 5 of respective blades 1. A single output connector connects to a data processing device 3 which processes signals from the strain sensors 5. The input connectors each have a signal path to the output connector that is different in length to the signal path from the other input connectors, such that signals from a given blade 1 can be identified at the data processing device 3 by the time of arrival of the signals. The system has the advantage that the each of the blades 1, including the sensors attached to it or embedded within it can be identical and therefore interchangeable.