This paper presents new methods to calculate and interpret Rayleigh scattering profiles in polymer optical fibers (POF) recorded by optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR). In contrast to Silica glass optical fibers (GOF), POF experience inhomogeneous stress when being strained, resulting in small scattering centers which allow for a new distributed sensor based on POF. New methods to overcome issues like blurring due to modal dispersion, uncertainties due to inhomogenious losses in the fiber and signal degradation due to viscoelastic creep in the polymer, are presented, for the first time to our knowledge.
One of the unique advantages of polymer optical fibres (POF) is that they can be used to measure very high strain values up to 100 % and beyond exceeding the strain limits of silica fibre-based sensor principles. In this paper the distributed strain measurement capabilities of POF based on backscatter change evaluation are summarized and distributed backscatter measurement technologies are intro-duced. Application examples in the structural health monitoring (SHM) field are presented: a promising approach is the integration into technical textiles for high-strain measurement in earthwork structures and crack detection in buildings. The potential of POF for future applications in SHM such as distributed relative humidity sensing is discussed.
In this document a new distributed sensor based on Rayleigh scattering in polymer optical fibers (POF) is proposed and first measurement results of the proposed sensor are shown. Different from Silica glas optical fibers POF absorb high quantities of water resulting in a change of their molecular structure and thereby reducing the present small scattering centers in areas of high humidity. The interdependence between scattering intensity and relative humidity is being investigated in case of steady cycles as well as stepwise changes of humidity and in the presence of moisture. A quantitative measure of humidity and scattering is presented.
Distributed polymer optical fiber sensors in geotextiles for monitoring of earthwork structures
(2009)
We present the latest advances in distributed strain measurement in perfluorinated polymer optical fibres (POFs) using backscatter techniques. Compared to previously introduced poly(methyl methacrylate) POFs, the measurement length can be extended to more than 500 m at improved spatial resolution of a few centimetres. It is shown that strain in a perfluorinated POF can be measured up to 100%. In parallel to these investigations, the incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) technique is introduced to detect strained fibre sections and to measure distributed length change along the fibre with sub-millimetre resolution by applying a cross-correlation algorithm to the backscatter signal. The overall superior performance of the OFDR technique compared to the optical time domain reflectometry in terms of accuracy, dynamic range, spatial resolution and measurement speed is presented. The proposed sensor system is a promising technique for use in structural health monitoring applications where the precise detection of high strain is required.
Sensing characteristics of polymer optical fibers (POF) are studied using the optical
time-domain reflectometry technique. For the first time to our knowledge, investigations are
carried out with respect to integration of POF in technical textiles for distributed measurement
of mechanical deformation. The research on this new sensor type focuses on its application in
monitoring of geotechnical structures such as railway embankments, dikes, slopes and dams.
We report on a distributed sensor system using POF integrated in technical textiles as sensing
elements for measurement of displacement of soil. This sensor system is very robust it
withstands the integration under rough condition at a construction site and can detect strain
of more than 40 % over distances of more than 100 meters.
Fiber optic sensors based on polymer optical fibers (POF) have the advantage of being very elastic and robust at the same time. Unlike silica fibers, standard PMMA POF fibers can be strained to more than 40% while fully maintaining their light guiding properties. We investigated POF as a distributed strain sensor by analysing the backscatter increase at the strained section using the optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) technique. This sensing ability together with its high robustness and break-down strain makes POF well-suited for integration into technical textiles for structural health monitoring purposes. Within the European research project POLYTECT (Polyfunctional textiles against natural hazards) technical textiles with integrated POF sensors, among others sensors are being developed for online structural health monitoring of geotechnical structures. Mechanical deformation in slopes, dams, dikes, embankments and retrofitted masonry structures is to be detected before critical damage occurs. In this paper we present the POF strain sensor properties, reactions to disturbing influences as temperature and bends as well as the results of the different model tests we conducted within POLYTECT. We further show the potential of perfluorinated graded-index POF for distributed strain sensing with increased spatial resolution and measurement lengths.
We propose focused femtosecond laser irradiation to create stable and permanent scattering damage in large-core polymer optical fibers. Possible sensing applications using optical time domain reflectometry are discussed and presented. Experiments show that quasi-distributed fiber bend sensors and absolute temperature sensors can be realized by evaluating backscatter intensities.