Reinforced concrete piles are used in case of structures that are constructed on soft ground to transfer the loads into deeper strata with sufficient bearing capacity. In order to determine the pile’s behavior and possible damage, static and dynamic pile tests are carried out. Dynamic measurements taken from the pile head can show the bearing behavior and structural integrity by using the theory of wave propagation. In order to receive more precise information about the pile features, now, a string of sensors is embedded at different levels of the pile. A fiber optic strain wave sensor, based on the extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI), has already been developed and tested in full-scale field tests by Schallert (2010). It was possible to detect the introduced deformation caused by the static load and the dilatational wave during dynamic loading. Although the full-scale tests were successful, the engineering design of the sensor body left room - from the economical point of view - to be optimized. After laboratory tests with the optimized sensor, a cast-in-situ bored pile has been built at the BAM Test Site Technical Safety in Horstwalde, South of Berlin. Additionally to the EFPI sensors, fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors, temperature sensors and resistance strain gauge (RSG) sensors are embedded in order to compare the signals with each other. In this paper, the modified sensor and the Setup of the cast-in-situ bored pile along with results of dynamic tests are shown.
Strain measurement in structures witli the purpose of long-term structurai health inonitoring must provide reliable inforination about the structure’s behavior over the whole period of use. The user must be sure that installed sensors are validated and work to the utmost satisfactiou. For this purpose, sensor Systems are tested using special facilities. Bccause it is not easy to characterize the strain transfer quality from the host structure into surface-applied strain sensors, a unique testing facility has been developed. Originally developed for fiber Bragg grating based sensors, the KALFOS facility (= calibration of fiber optic sensors) can also be used for electrical strain sensors.
Calibration ineasurements are referenced by unbinsed Digital Image Correlation (D1C) and Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometer (ESPI) methods. The strain transfer behavior can experimentally be analyzed and investigated under combined thermal and mechanical loading conditions and allows revealing wealuiesses in couimonly used attachment methodologies. The deformation of all members (particularly the coating/substrate - adhesive combination) in the sensing area is physically independently gained and recorded. Results achievcd allow precise description of the strain transfer function, Validation of the longterm strain sensor characteristics, matching of specific measurement requirements with environmental conditions, and, moreover, the verification of Standards for use of strain sensors.
How do application-related issues influence the reliability of fiber optic strain measurements?
(2011)
Fibre optic strain sensors are increasingly used and sensor systems are provided with specifications. Even if the performance is well specified, the strain characteristics of the sensor, strain transfer factor, mechanical stability under thermal influences, the performance of applied strain sensors can seriously differ from virgin sensor's the performance. The contribution will focus on issues that can deteriorate the sensor function or reduce the reliability of measurement results. Aspects are considered how to come to reliable strain measurements and how to validate strain measurements of applied sensors. Related to this topic, European activities like the recently started European COST TD1001 action, called (OfSeSa) will be presented.
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.
Reliable measurement results with fibre optic sensors require profound knowledge of physical mode of function, of materials used and appropriate application. There is often serious discrepancy between use in laboratory environment and on site. The paper identifies important aspects to be considered and shows ways to transfer innovations onto practical use.
Fibre-optic sensors for early damage detection in plastic insulations of high-voltage facilities
(2011)
Fibre-optic sensors (FOS) have great potential as online damage detectors when integrated in HV accessories. Among their well-known use as temperature and strain sensors, there are some more opportunities of use, e. g. they can intimately be embedded in polymeric insulations of HV cable terminations and joints to detect and monitor partial discharges right at the location of their origin. Two FOS types for early PD detection were investigated: an embeddable fibre-optic acoustic sensor to measure acoustlc waves in polymeric insulations generated by PDs, and a fluorescent optical fibre to detect first optical effects during ionization processes in the insulation material. The paper descrlbes these methods, related monitoring Problems and shows first test results.