A Brillouin smart FRP material and a strain data post processing software for structural health monitoring through laboratory testing and field application on a highway bridge

Filippo Bastianini; Fabio Matta; Nestore Galati; Antonio Nanni

doi:10.1117/12.594758

17 May 2005 A Brillouin smart FRP material and a strain data post processing software for structural health monitoring through laboratory testing and field application on a highway bridge

Filippo Bastianini, Fabio Matta, Nestore Galati, Antonio Nanni

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5765, Smart Structures and Materials 2005: Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.594758
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2005, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Strain and temperature sensing obtained through frequency shift evaluation of Brillouin scattered light is a technology that seems extremely promising for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). Due to the intrinsic distributed sensing capability, Brillouin can measure the deformation of any individual segment of huge lengths of inexpensive single-mode fiber. In addition, Brillouin retains other typical advantages of Fiber Optic Sensors (FOS), such as harsh environment durability and interference rejection. Despite these advantages, the diffusion of Brillouin for SHM is constrained by different factors, such as the high equipment cost, the commercial unavailability of specific SHM oriented fiber products and even some prejudices on the required sensitivity performances. In the present work, a complete SHM pilot application was developed, installed and successfully operated during a diagnostic load test on the High Performance Steel (HPS) bridge A6358 located at the Lake of the Ozarks (Miller County, MO, USA). Four out of five girders were extensively instrumented with a "smart" Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) tape having embedded fibers for strain sensing and thermal compensation. Data collected during a diagnostic load test were elaborated through a specific post-processing software, and the strain profiles retrieved were compared to traditional strain gauges and theoretical results based on the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications for structural assessment purposes. The excellent results obtained confirm the effectiveness of Brillouin SHM systems for the monitoring of real applications.

Citation Download Citation

Filippo Bastianini, Fabio Matta, Nestore Galati, and Antonio Nanni "A Brillouin smart FRP material and a strain data post processing software for structural health monitoring through laboratory testing and field application on a highway bridge", Proc. SPIE 5765, Smart Structures and Materials 2005: Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems, (17 May 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.594758

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