A smart structure based on carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) embedding optical fibers is proposed for distributed sensing in structural health monitoring. The proposed CFRP package provides mechanical protection to the optical fiber, enables temperature-strain discrimination, and also facilitates the sensor's installation to secure reliable measurements. Experimental results verify a linear strain sensor response with temperature compensation, agreeing well with the response of strain gauges and the expected theoretical behavior. The smart structure can be used by gluing it on the surface of the monitored structure or by embedding it as one of the layers used during manufacturing big composite structures.

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The large development of fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) over decades has made this kind of structures one of the most mature optical fibre sensing technologies existing today, demonstrating key features for a very wide range of applications. FBG sensors are fragile and must be normally protected for real-field applications, although challenging packaging designs are required to mitigate temperature-strain cross-sensitivity issues. Here, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) packaging with a microarray structure that provides gecko-inspired dry adhesion is proposed for strain-free FBG-based temperature sensing. Besides offering protection, the PDMS packaging with an embedded polyamide capillary damps the mechanical strain transferred to the optical fibre, providing FBG-based temperature sensing with a negligible impact of strain. In addition, the microarray structure imprinted on one surface of the packaging provides gecko-inspired dry adhesion based on van der Waals forces. This feature enables the packaged optical fibre sensor to be attached and detached dynamically to nearly any kind of smooth surface, leaving no residuals in the monitored structure. Experimental results verify a fast and accurate temperature response of the sensor with highly mitigated impact of residual strain. The proposed packaged sensor can be used in application where glue is not allowed nor recommendable to be used.

A method for seepage and settlement monitoring in earth embankment dams using fully distributed sensing along optical fibres is proposed. A model is developed for simulating and monitoring seepage and settlement systems. This model relates the strains and the temperature changes to the fiber Brillouin gain spectrum in the embankment dam embedding the optical fiber sensors. The model consists of two parts. Submodel 1 addresses the simulation of seepage inside the embankment dam. Submodel 2 relates the measurement of the fiber Brillouin gain spectrum to the changes in temperature and strain inside the embankment dam. Both the changes in temperature and strain during the process are used to reveal serious seepages and settlements occurring inside the embankment dam. The continuously decreasing temperature curve shows an abrupt dramatic increasing rate, which shows that the change is not caused by the temperature of the seepage water but the strain. In this paper, as an example, a model filled with the soil from Yellow River is built and bare optical fibers are embedded under different soil layers near the seepage path. The simulated seepage flows under various flow rates are monitored using the optical fibers and measured by a DiTeSt -STA202 distributed temperature and strain analyzer. A partial settlement within the embankment dam model is observed.

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