Structural Health Monitoring Using Textile Reinforcement Structures with Integrated Optical Fiber Sensors

Bremer, Kort; Weigand, Frank; Zheng, Yulong; Alwis, Lourdes Shanika; Helbig, Reinhard; Roth, Bernhard

Abstract

Optical fiber-based sensors " embedded " in functionalized carbon structures (FCSs) and textile net structures (TNSs) based on alkaline-resistant glass are introduced for the purpose of structural health monitoring (SHM) of concrete-based structures. The design aims to monitor common SHM parameters such as strain and cracks while at the same time acting as a structural strengthening mechanism. The sensor performances of the two systems are characterized in situ using Mach-Zehnder interferometric (MZI) and optical attenuation measurement techniques, respectively. For this purpose, different FCS samples were subjected to varying elongation using a tensile testing machine by carefully incrementing the applied force, and good correlation between the applied force and measured length change was observed. For crack detection, the functionalized TNSs were embedded into a concrete block which was then exposed to varying load using the three-point flexural test until destruction. Promising results were observed, identifying that the location of the crack can be determined using the conventional optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) technique. The embedded sensors thus evaluated show the value of the dual achievement of the schemes proposed in obtaining strain/crack measurement while being utilized as strengthening agents as well.

Citation

Bremer, K., Weigand, F., Zheng, Y., Alwis, L. S., Helbig, R., & Roth, B. (2017). Structural Health Monitoring Using Textile Reinforcement Structures with Integrated Optical Fiber Sensors. Sensors, 17(2), 345. https://doi.org/10.3390/s17020345

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 4, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Feb 10, 2017
• Publication Date: Feb 10, 2017
• Deposit Date: Feb 10, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 10, 2017
• Journal: Sensors
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 345
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s17020345
• Keywords: structural health monitoring; fiber optic sensor; crack detection; strain sensing; functionalized carbon structure
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/684083
• Contract Date: Feb 10, 2017