Standardization in fibre-optic sensing for structural safety - activities in the ISHMII and IEC
(2015)
Fiber-optic sensors are increasingly established in the sensor market. Their advantages have unquestionably been verified by numerous demonstrations to enhance the operational performance of aged structures or to monitor the structural behavior of safety-relevant structures or their components. However, there are some barriers in use due to a lack of extensive standardization of fiber-optic sensors. This leads very often to restraints in the users community. The paper shows the status in international standardization of fiber-optic sensors as well as current activities in leading institutions such as IEC and ISHMII and others with the purpose of providing relevant standards for a broader use of selected fiber-optic sensor technologies.
Measurement and data recording systems are important parts of a holistic Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system.
New sensor technologies such as fiber-optic sensors are often used; however, standards (or at least guidelines) are not yet available or internationally approved. This lack in standardization makes the acceptance of FOS technologies in complex SHM systems substantially difficult. A standard family for different FOS technologies is therefore being developed that should help to design SHM systems in an optimal way. International standardization activities take place in several standardization bodies such as IEC and ASTM, and within SHM societies such as ISHMII.
The paper reports on activities in standardization of fiber-optic sensors, on results already achieved, and on newly started projects. Combined activities of fiber sensor experts and SHM experts from Civil Engineering are presented. These contributions should help owners of structures as well as developers of sensors and monitoring systems to select effective and validated sensing technologies. Using these standards, both parties find recommendations how to proceed in development of SHM systems to evaluate the structural behavior based on e.g. standardized fiber optic sensors, and to derive necessary measures, e.g. the optimal maintenance strategy.