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Fibre optics health monitoring for aeronautical applications

  • Advances in the Mechanics of Composite and Sandwich Structures
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Abstract

The detection of stress/strain field in structural components represents one of the cornerstones of continuous mechanics analysis of materials and structures. In particular, this paper presents some of the most remarkable aspects of aeronautical structures monitoring techniques through fibre optics (FO) sensors; given their capability to convert local or distributed strains into optical signal and to transmit it remotely, optical fibres represent a powerful detection tool which can be integrated in complex structures. Firstly, some basic technological concerns to be tackled in view of sensors integration are considered, e.g. trade-off process between bonding and embedding techniques, co-bonding or co-curing, inter- or intra-laminar embedment, compatibility between host material and optical fibres, degree of invasivity and interface analysis, bending sensitivity, use of quick-packs and connectors to guarantee sensors integrity and functionality. Then, general concerns to be faced during the design process of sensors networks for strain sensing, health- and process-monitoring are analysed (e.g. distributed, localized and co-located sensors, hot-spot identification, signal management, multiplexing, attenuation). Moreover, a number of issues are addressed for a reliable conversion of optical signal into mechanical strain field. In particular, theoretical and experimental techniques are presented, devoted to thermal/mechanical signals decoupling. Finally, the use of fibre Bragg’s grating sensors and chirped arrays are compared in view of solving the problem of reconstructing the stress/strain field on the basis of spectral signals provided by FO sensors.

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Abbreviations

ACT:

Across capillary tube

DCB:

Double cantilever beam

DTG:

Draw tower array

ECT:

Extremity capillary tube

ENF:

End notched flexure

FO:

Fibre optic

FBG:

Fibre bragg grating

FWHM:

Full width half maximum

GFRP:

Glass fibre reinforced plastic

IFSS:

Interfacial shear stress

MAXERR:

Maximum error

QP:

Quick-pack

RMSE:

Root mean square error

RTM:

Resin transfer moulding

SHM:

Structural health monitoring

SpaC:

Spatial continuity

SpaD:

Spatial discontinuity

SpeC:

Spectral continuity

SpeD:

Spectral discontinuity

TMM:

Transfer matrix method

UD:

Unidirectional

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Acknowledgments

The sponsorship of MIUR and Regione Lombardia within the frame of STIMA, SMAT and MACH projects are gratefully acknowledged. The experimental activities described in this paper have been performed at Advanced Materials Laboratory (AMALA) of Politecnico di Milano.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Aerospaziali, Politecnico di Milano, Via La Masa 34, 20156, Milan, Italy

    Giuseppe Sala, Luca Di Landro, Alessandro Airoldi & Paolo Bettini

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  1. Giuseppe Sala
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  2. Luca Di Landro
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  3. Alessandro Airoldi
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  4. Paolo Bettini
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Correspondence to Paolo Bettini.

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Sala, G., Di Landro, L., Airoldi, A. et al. Fibre optics health monitoring for aeronautical applications. Meccanica 50, 2547–2567 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11012-015-0200-6

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