Development of a fibre optic-based patch sensor for monitoring structures

Abstract

The number of accidents involving the collapse of civil engineering structures, in addition to the cost of maintenance in the construction industry, has drawn the attention of researchers and builders over the last few years. Therefore, much attention is given to the importance of improving periodic measurements, analysis, and diagnostics of operating structures’ integrity, frequently referred to as structural health monitoring (SHM). These monitoring activities were first operated by visual inspections. These methodologies have evolved with the emergence of new tools and devices that are leading SHM towards techniques of remote monitoring based on data transmission networks featuring alarming systems. Nowadays, fiber optic sensors represent a promising solution over existing sensors because of their unique features, such as the versatility for installation and to measure different parameters as well as their immunity to electromagnetic interference. In this project, part of the SENTMI Region project (PSPC Region 2020), an innovative 2D patch carrying weaved optical fibers is being developed in a partnership made by Leon Grosse, Inouid, Brochier Technologies, and the laboratory LOCIE from the University “Savoie Mont Blanc”. Each of these partners adds up essential know-how in structural diagnostics in buildings and the construction of civil engineering structures, sensor devices, and optical fibers. The technology is being tested in concrete structures at the laboratory level using methods that include 2D digital image correlation (DIC). The preliminary main results are presented in this paper. Its performance has raised significant prospects over the possibilities for detecting the presence of water, temperature change, and cracks in structures. The potential applications at the real scale and their respective challenges are also discussed with the goal of pushing the limits of structural health monitoring.