Fiber Optic Sensor for Measurement of Strain in Concrete Structures

Abstract

Synopsis: A novel fiber optic sensor was tested on reinforced concrete beams with the objective of monitoring strain due to flexural deformations. A Fiber Optic Bragg Grating (FOBG) sensor, developed recently at the United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) for monitoring of strain in structural composites, was used. The FOBG sensor was tested in beam models to measure load-induced strain. Results showed that the FOBG sensor can be accurately and effectively used to monitor strain for both existing and new concrete structures. A number of issues, such as sensor bonding to the structural component, sensor placement and practical instrumentation techniques, were addressed in this study.