True-that....as well as early failure warning systems on many other structures like bridges, pipelines, reactors, rocketry & hi-rises among other uses, like smart (multi-functional) plastics that are actually stronger & perhaps even extending into bio-engineering...as seen in this article I recall posting 5 yrs ago:
http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2013/07/29/tetrapod...-polymers/