Structural Integrity Monitoring of Concrete Structures via Optical Fiber Sensors: Sensor Protection Systems

Abstract

This paper reports on the design requirements and a range of specific concepts for optical fiber-based sensor protection systems that can be used in concrete structures. The designs range from sensor protection systems that are manufactured involving stainless steel, fiber reinforced composites and concrete. The feasibility of manufacturing the sensor protection systems using these materials is also demonstrated. A detailed finite element analysis was carried out to optimise the stainless steel-based sensor protection system for concrete. Experimental results involving the sensor protection system will be presented in Part 2 of this series of papers.

Development and laboratory validation of in-line multiplexed low-coherence interferometric sensors

“…The integration of FOSs in construction materials is often limited by the difficult handling of bare fibers: to overcome this problem, Glisic and Inaudi [29,30] presented a novel packaging system consisting of a composite tape which can be easily manipulated, embedded and surface mounted. Fernando et al [31] investigated several sensor protection systems, both numerically and by experiment, including stainless steel, concrete, glass-and carbon-fiber packaging. Following the same project, Kister et al [32] embedded protected FOS in RC columns at different positions and investigated their response to failure.…”

Investigation on packages of fiber Bragg grating for use as embeddable strain sensor in concrete structure

“…Stainless steel housing based on the design as described [7] was manufactured and packaged FBG sensors e.g. sample #1 to sample #4 were prepared.…”

“…It is desirable that the design of the protective housing be optimal to have efficient strain transfer from the host to the sensor with minimum possibility of debonding from the structure and also the structural integrity is not compromised with sensor deployment. Among various propositions a specific housing design [7], was shown to have good application potential in concrete structure. Packaged EFPI and FBG sensors in those optimally designed housings were shown to have excellent linear strain transfer from the host structure to the sensors [8].…”

An inverse solution for reconstruction of the area-moment-of-inertia of a beam using deflection data

“…In the earlier stages of SHM research, the primary focus was on non-destructive testing [20,21] with emphasis on reinforced concrete beams and bridges [22,23]. Moreover, sensors and instrumentation were developed to improve the quality of measurement response [24,25].…”