Concrete pile testing and monitoring using structure-integrated fibre-optic strain wave sensors
(2012)
A fibre Bragg grating (FBG) strain patch specially adapted for long-term and high-strain applications was developed and characterised. Additionally, in the case of unknown main stress axis, two fibre optic strain rosettes were developed. The design concept for the patch and the rosettes is based on a glass fibre reinforced plastic (gfrp) carrier material. The patches were characterised due to their strain gauge factor and fatigue behaviour. As a result, FBG strain patches with linear strain behaviour and excellent fatigue resistance were developed and can be used as part of a monitoring system for aerospace structures or wind turbine power plants. The rosettes were designed to be small in geometrical size and their strain transfer behaviour was characterised.
Strain sensors used for structural health monitoring (SHM) must provide reliable measurement data during their entire service lifetime. To achieve this for fibre optic sensors integrated into composites, the integration of the sensor has to be adapted according to the process conditions. This paper describes the fabrication of thermoplastic composite samples with integrated distributed fibre optic sensors (DFOS) based on copper-nickel and polyimide coated silica optical fibres. The performance of these DFOS as SHM sensors is evaluated in terms of reliability by measurements derived from comparative measurements with resistance strain gauges and from fatigue tests with 10 million load cycles.
Strain sensors used in practical applications must provide reliable measurement data. To achieve this, sensor systems must be validated by using experimental facilities that enable physically independent statements about the performance of the sensor components. The paper describes qualification and validation procedures using a special facility to qualify surface-applied strain sensors and to achieve reliable sensor results. Based on examples concerning fibre optic strain sensor patches with and without FBG sensors, the determination of the strain gauge factor also under combined thermal and mechanical loading will be presented. These results are the basis for development of guidelines and standards.
Fibre optic strain sensors used in practical applications have to provide reliable measurements. Therefore, the applied sensor and the sensor systems must be validated experimentally. This can be achieved with facilities which use physically independent measurement systems in order to avoid the influences caused by the application of a reference sensor. This paper describes the testing methods of the specially developed validation facility KALFOS for the qualification and evaluation of surface-applied strain sensors. For reliable sensor results, the performance of fibre optic strain patches with and without FBG under combined thermal and mechanical loading was investigated. Additionally, the strain gauge factor of the fibre optic strain patches with FBG was determined experimentally and compared to the specified strain gauge factor. These results will be the basis for the development of guidelines and standards concerning the application of the sensors.