Fibre-optic sensors need to be more established in the sensor market. Their advantages have unquestionably been verified by numerous demonstrations. However, there are some open questions leading now and then to restraints in the user's community. The paper dicusses examples where fibre-optic sensors provide outstanding knowledge about the structure's behaviour, but application is often challenging. Requirements are listed and open questions to be solved are discussed. Short outlook to standards useful for better design, characterization and application is given. Standards are the basis for establiching SHM systems, especially for safety-critical structural diagnostics.
Sensors for assessment of the structure’s behaviour must work durably and reliably. Even if the performance of produced and delivered sensor is well specified, the sensor's strain characteristics and the performance of an applied sensor can significantly differ from the virgin sensor’s performance. The quality and appropriateness of installation decides over the long-term operability and getting reliable measurement results. The paper shows how important a clear terminology is, which problems might occur when sensor are not well characterized according to Standards or guidelines. Short outlook to experimental methods providing clear knowledge and appropriate Validation of the sensor’s performance for a defined measurement task is given. Finally, the state of-the-art in fibre-optic sensor Standardization is given.
Measurement and data recording systems are important parts of a holistic Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system. They are often based on modern measurement and data communication technologies for which standards (or at least guidelines) do not exist yet. A lack in standardization, however, makes the establishment of new sensing and application technologies - and thus up-to-date SHM systems - substantially difficult. Successful commercialization and wide acceptance of SHM systems needs widely accepted standards and guidelines. Standards help to design SHM systems in an optimal way. Currently, standardization gets increasing attention in civil engineering field; there are some activities e.g. in ISHMII, IEC and ISO groups to develop standards for the most important components of SHM systems.
The paper gives an overview on current activities in standardization to propose sound and safe procedures for assessment of the existing structure's behavior and for estimation of its residual life. Special attention is paid in this paper to newly developed standards for fiber-optic measurement systems; important aspects of such sensor systems are mentioned.
The contribution is aimed at owners of structures that have to be assessed as well as at developers of sensors and monitoring systems who have to select appropriate effective sensing technologies. Using standards, both parties find recommendations how to proceed in development SHM systems to estimate the design or residual life, and how to find out the optimal maintenance strategy. The usefulness of standardized procedures is shown using the example of risk-based management of structures.
Fiber-optic strain sensors are increasingly used in very different technical fields. Sensors are provided with specifications defined by the manufacturer or ascertained by the interested user. In some cases, sensor specification is not sufficiently validated and must therefore additionally be validated in a laboratory, primarily to ensure reliable measurement information over the intended period of operation. Even if the performance of delivered sensor is well specified, the sensor's strain characteristics and the performance of an applied sensor can significantly differ from the virgin sensor's performance. In this case, applied sensors do not provide full reliability and lead sometimes to uncertain measurement results. This contribution will therefore focus on the role of validation in avoiding a decrease or even deterioration of the sensor function of applied sensors. Experimental validation - not only modelling - is very important, however, before experimental investigations are planned knowledge about key issues and problems that influence the measurement results must be available. Few aspects to be considered and investigated will be discussed. Selected experimental facilities to reveal weaknesses in the sensor function will be described; an outlook to open questions is given.
Currently, fibre-optic sensors (FOSs) are commonly used if special requirements make the application of electrical sensors impossible, or economic benefit is promised. The scientific background of FOS technology is well developed; however, there are still some restrictions with respect to long-term reliable use. For widespread practical use, sensor products must be manufactured, characterized and validated according to standards. Guidelines on how to apply sensors and evaluate their operation on-site including special facilities to evaluate applied sensors are needed. This paper will focus on important aspects, such as when FOSs may be used under real practical conditions, and will present validation methodologies to evaluate the overall quality of the sensor system's function. It will also indicate the lack of knowledge and methods to be elaborated to promote the use of FOS.
Movements in geological areas are often caused by shear zones deep in the underground or by hardly observable slipping zones. Detection of movements reaching critical values is of crucial importance to avoid losses and harms. Optical sensor fibers with gauge lengths of several meters or even distributed fiber-optic sensors with gauge lengths of hundreds of meters allow detecting deformation of such zones with quite good resolution. The paper presents a new technology of detecting deformations and movements in soil or rock massifs. The core part of the sensing system is a tiny pultruded rod with an outer diameter of 3 mm to 6 mm. It contains two fiber-optic sensor systems. One sensor system is used for permanent online measurement and provides integral strain information along the whole length of the rod; in case of critical deformations, it provides a warning signal. The second sensing system uses fiber-optic Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensors located close to the expected shear zone. This measurement system will be activated after the warning signal has been initiated by the integral strain measurement system. The FBG strain sensor system records then resulting deformations in detail. The sensing rod containing both sensor systems can be installed in a borehole to detect beginning soil movements automatically. The electronic equipment is powered by a solar panel; the amount of deformation in soil or rock formations can be estimated from the strain change measured in the sensor fibers. The effectiveness of this warning system will be shown using the example of a critically sliding slope in an open brown coal pit in Germany.