Monitoring of fibre reinforced composites with embedded optical fibre Bragg sensors, with application to filament wound pressure vessels

摘要

Tests carried out on bare optical fibres with a Bragg sensor show the feasibility of using these sensors for strain sensing. They have been embedded into simple composite laminates and have been subjected t static loading in bending tests. The measured strain from the Bragg sensor is perfectly linear with the applied force. Optical fibres with a Bragg sensor have also been embedded into filament wound pressure vessels. Tests carried out on such a pressure vessel include both static and slowly varying load schemes. The Bragg signal is nearly perfectly linear with the applied pressure. The results demonstrate the applicability of Bragg sensors for continuous monitoring of composite materials.