Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) is used to interrogate fiber sensors adhered to various structures. Temperatures in excess of 1000°C are observed on a thermal-barrier coated stainless steel test plate as it is exposed to a high-temperature torch. The surface temperature distribution is mapped with 5 mm spatial resolution at 100 Hz, revealing large spatial and temporal thermal gradients at coating defect locations. Results and response times are compared with conventional K type thermocouples. Also presented in this work, are real-time position, shape and twist measurements of a simple structure as it is subjected to various loads.
We describe the use of swept wavelength interferometry for millimeter resolution dynamic fiber optic strain
measurements on a cyclically loaded aluminum coupon using single mode fiber. The interrogation method is based on
measuring the phase along the optical fiber and correlating the change in the phase derivative to strain via calibration.
This technique enabled data acquisition at 150 Hz at a 1mm spatial resolution. A maximum spatial and strain range of 8
ms and ±7,500 με, respectively, can be obtained. Measurements of the strain profile near a notch on the coupon
demonstrate the utility of the high spatial resolution made possible with this technique.
Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry is used to measure distributed displacement and temperature change with very
high sensitivity and precision by measuring the phase change of an optical fiber sensor as a function of distance with
high spatial resolution and accuracy. A fiber containing semi-continuous Bragg gratings was used as the sensor. The
effective length change, or displacement, in the fiber caused by small temperature changes was measured as a function of
distance with a precision of 2.4 nm and a spatial resolution of 1.5 mm. The temperature changes calculated from this
displacement were measured with precision of 0.001 C with an effective sensor gauge length of 12 cm. These results
demonstrate that the method employed of continuously tracking the phase change along the length of the fiber sensor
enables high resolution distributed measurements that can be used to detect very small displacements, temperature
changes, or strains.
Strain is measured with high spatial resolution on fiber loops bonded to a metal test sample to form a fiber rosette. Strain
measurements are made using an Optical Backscatter Reflectometer to detect changes in the phase of the Rayleigh
Scatter of the fiber with 160 μm spatial resolution along the length of the fiber. Using this experimental set-up, applied
strain levels as well as the axis along which the loads are applied are measured. Thermal gradients are also detected. The
high spatial resolution and strain sensitivity of this technique enable highly functional fiber rosettes formed of small
diameter loops of standard low-bend-loss optical fiber.
In recent years we have demonstrated the ability to analyze Rayleigh scatter in single- and multi-mode fused silica
fibers to deduce strain and temperature shifts, yielding sensitivity and resolution similar to that obtained using Fiber
Bragg Gratings. This technique employs scanning laser interferometry to obtain high spatial resolution Rayleigh
scatter spectral information. One of the promising aspects of using Rayleigh scatter for distributed sensing is that the
technique should work for any fiber that exhibits discernable Rayleigh scatter. We now demonstrate that distributed
sensing with mm-range spatial resolution in off-the-shelf plastic multi-mode optical fiber is feasible. We report
temperature and strain sensitivity, and comment on measurement range and hysteresis level. Distributed Rayleigh
scatter sensing in plastic optical fiber may offer a valuable alternative to sensing in fused silica fibers because of
plastic's low cost and differing mechanical and chemical properties.
We review recent advancements in making high resolution distributed strain and temperature measurements using
swept-wavelength interferometry to observe the spectral characteristics of Rayleigh scatter in optical fibers. Current
methods available for distributed strain or temperature sensing in optical fiber include techniques based on Raman,
Brillouin, and Rayleigh scattering. These techniques typically employ optical time domain reflectometry and are thus
limited in spatial resolution to 0.1 to 1 m. Fiber Bragg gratings can yield higher spatial resolution but are difficult to
multiplex in large numbers for applications requiring wide scale coverage. Swept-wavelength interferometry allows
the Rayleigh scatter amplitude and phase to be sampled with very high spatial resolution (10s of microns). The
Rayleigh scatter complex amplitude can be Fourier Transformed to obtain the Rayleigh scatter optical spectrum and
shifts in the spectral pattern can related to changes in strain or temperature. This technique results in distributed strain
measurements with 1 με resolution or temperature measurements with 0.1 C resolution. These measurements can be
made with sub-cm spatial resolution over a 100 m measurement range or with sub-10 cm resolution over a 1 Km range.
A principle advantage of this technique is that it does not require specialty fiber. Thus, measurements can be made in
pre-installed single mode or multimode fibers, including those used for telecommunication networks. Applications
range from fault monitoring in short range communications networks, structural health monitoring, shape sensing,
pipeline and electrical transmission line monitoring, to perimeter security. Several examples are discussed in detail.
We present the use of swept wavelength interferometry for distributed fiber-optic temperature measurements in a
Nuclear Reactor. The sensors consisted of 2 m segments of commercially available, single mode optical fibers. The
interrogation technique is based on measuring the spectral shift of the intrinsic Rayleigh backscatter signal along the
optical fiber and converting the spectral shift to temperature.
We describe the results of a study of the performance characteristics of a monolithic fiber-optic shape sensor array. Distributed strain measurements in a multi-core optical fiber interrogated with the optical frequency domain reflectometry technique are used to deduce the shape of the optical fiber; referencing to a coordinate system yields position information. Two sensing techniques are discussed herein: the first employing fiber Bragg gratings and the second employing the intrinsic Rayleigh backscatter of the optical fiber. We have measured shape and position under a variety of circumstances and report the accuracy and precision of these measurements. A discussion of error sources is included.
We describe the use of swept-wavelength interferometry for distributed fiber-optic sensing in single- and multimode
optical fiber using intrinsic Rayleigh backscatter. The interrogation technique is based on measuring the spectral
shift of the intrinsic Rayleigh backscatter signal along an unaltered standard telecommunications grade optical fiber
and converting the spectral shift to strain or temperature. This technique shows great utility as a method for highly
distributed sensing over great distances with existing, pre-installed optical fiber. Results from sensing lengths
greater than 1 km of optical fiber with spatial resolutions better than 10 cm are reported.
We report the use of a fiber-optic distributed sensing system to monitor structural fatigue on an aircraft undergoing a full scale fatigue test. This technique involves using optical frequency domain reflectometry to demodulate the reflected signals from multiplexed Bragg gratings that have been photoetched in the core of an optical fiber. The optical fibers, containing a high density of Bragg gratings, were applied along the surface of a Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion fatigue test article to assess the suitability of this technique for long-term structural damage detection and monitoring. Preliminary results indicate good agreement with quasi-collocated foil strain gauges and demonstrate great potential for supplementing or replacing conventional non-destructive evaluation techniques.
We report the use of a fiber-optic distributed sensing system to monitor crack growth on aircraft panels. The system utilizes optical frequency domain reflectometry to demodulate the reflected signals from up to thousands of weakly reflecting gratings photoetched along a single optical fiber. In our experiment, data from a regular array of sensors attached to an aircraft panel were recorded as the panel was subjected to increasing loads. Strain contour maps generated from these data enable clear visualization of the crack growth over time. A similar experiment was also performed using fiber-optic strain sensors embedded in aircraft composite repair patches. The results of these experiments demonstrate the viability of distributed fiber-optic sensing for crack growth monitoring.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.