Fiber optic sensor technology - An opportunity for smart aerospace structuresFiber optic sensors provide the opportunity for fabricating materials with internal sensors which can serve as lifetime health monitors, analogous to a central nervous system. The embedded fiber optic sensors can be interrogated by various techniques to measure internal strain, temperature, pressure, acoustic waves and other parameters indicative of structural integrity. Experiments have been conducted with composite samples with embedded sensors to measure strain using optical time domain reflectometry, modal interference and an optical phase locked loop. Fiber optic sensors have been developed to detect acoustic emission and impact damage and have been demonstrated for cure monitoring. These sensors have the potential for lifetime monitoring of structural properties, providing real time nondestructive evaluation.
Document ID
19880064689
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Heyman, J. S. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Rogowski, R. S. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Claus, R. O. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, United States)