Evaluation of Change in Mechanical Properties due to theIncorporation of Fiber Optic Sensors in Glass FiberReinforced Composite Pipes

摘要

Damage detection and repair in underground pipes is considerably expensive. Incorporation ofrnappropriate sensors in the pipe structure would make it easier to monitor the health of the pipe andrndetect the exact location of damage. Fiber Optic Sensors (FOS) can be embedded in composite pipesrnto monitor their health and structural integrity. Incorporation of optical fibers affects the mechanicalrnproperties of fiber reinforced composite pipes due to the different mechanical and interfacialrnproperties of these fibers compared to the glass fibers used for reinforcement. Significant differencernin the diameter of optical fibers and glass fibers, which are about 20 μm and about 250 μmrnrespectively, can also affect the mechanical properties of the pipe. Location analysis is carried outrndetermine the appropriate locations to place FOS on the pipe. Glass fiber reinforced pipes werernfabricated in the laboratory, with and without optical fibers (OF). Buckling tests have been carriedrnout in this study. Comparison of results for pipes with and without optical fibers determines thernusefulness of smart pipes for a given application.