Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials are widely used in different branches of industry, especially in aerospace, owing to their low mass, high strength and stiffness, and good fatigue and corrosion resistance. However, these materials are prone to the impact damage. Especially dangerous are barely visible impact faults, since it is difficult to detect them. If left unrepaired, they can lead to collapse of the whole structure. Hence, a continuous monitoring for loads and possible impact faults in these structures is crucial. Traditionally, this is realized via surface-mounted sensor technologies. However, smart structures with internally embedded sensors offer several advantages — sensor protection from the environment, better coupling to the structure, and no disruption of surface geometry, which is essential for aerodynamic elements, also allowing monitoring in the real time without stopping their operations. The most popular existing smart structural solutions — piezoelectric sensor networks and fibre optics, are reviewed along with other, less common sensor choices. This review also covers the limitations associated with sensor embedment, whose addressing would bring the society to a more reliable, cheaper, and efficient maintenance of transportation and infrastructure.

纤维增强聚合物（FRP）复合材料由于其质量轻，强度高，刚度高，抗疲劳和耐腐蚀性能好等优点而广泛用于各个行业，尤其​​是航空航天。但是，这些材料容易受到冲击破坏。尤其危险的是几乎看不见的冲击故障，因为很难检测到它们。如果不予修复，它们可能导致整个结构坍塌。因此，对这些结构中的载荷和可能的冲击故障进行连续监控至关重要。传统上，这是通过表面安装传感器技术实现的。但是，带有内部嵌入式传感器的智能结构具有多个优势-传感器免受环境影响，与结构的耦合性更好，并且不会破坏表面几何形状，这对于空气动力元件至关重要，还允许在不停止其操作的情况下进行实时监视。现有最流行的智能结构解决方案-压电传感器网络和光纤，连同其他较不常见的传感器选择一起进行了审查。此次审查还涵盖了与传感器嵌入相关的限制，解决这些问题将使社会对运输和基础设施的维护更加可靠，便宜且有效。