A novel fiber optic distributed temperature and strain sensor for building applications

Abstract

A novel fiber optic distributed sensor for temperature and strain measurements in building constructions has been developed and studied which is a composite optical element in the form of a reinforced single-mode optical fiber placed directly in the body of a fiberglass armature. The sensor has a reasonably high sensitivity to changes in external temperature and strain and a good spatial resolution. Besides, it is characterized by a high mechanical strength as compared to conventional fiber sensor elements. The experimental results obtained on a prototype show the value of the temperature sensitivity of 0.1 MHz/deg and the sensitivity to strain of 2.7 MHz/mm. Keywords: Fiber optic sensor, Embedded optical fiber, Armature, Temperature measurement, Strain measurement, Building constructions