Structural Integrity of Filament Wound Composite Structures with Embedded Fiber Optic Sensors

摘要

This paper presents the results of a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to evaluate the effects of embedded fiber optic sensors on the structural integrity of filament wound composite structures. Microscale and macroscale effects were evaluated. Finite element analyses were conducted to evaluate the interaction mechanics between the embedded sensor and composite material. Photomicrographs of filament wound cylinder sections were taken to identify the geometry of the resin pocket around the embedded optical fibers for different fiber orientations. The Phase I program concluded with hydrostatic pressure tests on filament wound composite pressure bottles to assess the effect of the embedded sensor on burst strength performance. The burst testing also provided an assessment of the effect of optical fiber orientation and internal pressure loading on the optical performance of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) fiber optic sensors. Results of this research have demonstrated that FBG fiber optic sensors can be successfully embedded in filament wound composite pressure vessels without degrading burst strength and that the orientation of the embedded sensor has a significant influence on resin pocket formation and optical response of the sensor.