Optical fibre strain sensing for practical structural load monitoring

This paper describes state-of-the-art optical technology, employing Bragg gratings, which has been used to develop an Optical Fibre Strain Sensing System. This system is capable of providing actual strain and temperature information for new and existing structures. The sensors, written into the core of standard single mode optical fibre, are embedded into the composite material, or surface bonded on to the structure for load monitoring. The system can be used as a design tool for engineers, for composite cure-monitoring, setting up of rigs etc., or can be used as a health monitoring tool to periodically monitor loading of bridges, buildings and pipelines.