Structural monitoring using a novel high-performance fiber optic measurement system

Michael D. Todd; Mark E. Seaver; Tim Wiener; Stephen Trickey

doi:10.1117/12.472612

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27 June 2002 Structural monitoring using a novel high-performance fiber optic measurement system

Michael D. Todd, Mark E. Seaver, Tim Wiener, Stephen Trickey

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Proceedings Volume 4694, Smart Structures and Materials 2002: Smart Sensor Technology and Measurement Systems; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.472612
Event: SPIE's 9th Annual International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 2002, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

This work considers the dominant current methods for fiber Bragg grating wavelength interrogation. In addition, a new interrogation method, based on hybridizing a scanning Fabry-Perot filter for selecting individual reflection wavelengths, and an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer for high-resolution conversion of wavelength shifts to phase changes, is presented. The method utilizes a 3x3 fiber optic coupler in such a way that a completely passive demodulation algorithm is implemented. The current version interrogates multiple FBGs at frequencies from DC to near 10 kHz with nanostrain resolution across the full band. Low-frequency resolution is maintained with an interferometer drift compensation technique. We describe the system design and operation in detail and present key performance metrics with comparison to other primary FBG interrogation architectures.

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Michael D. Todd, Mark E. Seaver, Tim Wiener, and Stephen Trickey "Structural monitoring using a novel high-performance fiber optic measurement system", Proc. SPIE 4694, Smart Structures and Materials 2002: Smart Sensor Technology and Measurement Systems, (27 June 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.472612

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