Fiber optic sensors for industry and military applications

Fiber optic sensors (FOSs) have been widely used for measuring various physical and chemical measurands owing to their unique advantages over traditional sensors such as small size, high resolution, distributed sensing capabilities, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. This dissertation focuses on the development of robust FOSs with ultrahigh sensitivity and their applications in industry and military areas. Firstly, novel fiber-optic extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) inclinometers for one- and two-dimensional tilt measurements with 20 nrad resolution were demonstrated. Compared to in-line fiber optic inclinometers, an extrinsic sensing motif was used in our prototype inclinometer. The variations in tilt angle of the inclinometer was converted into the cavity length changes of the EFPI which can be accurately measured with high resolution. The developed fiber optic inclinometers showed high resolution and great temperature stability in both experiments and practical applications. Secondly, a smart helmet was developed with a single embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor for real-time sensing of blunt-force impact events to helmets. The combination of the transient impact data from FBG and the analyses using machine-learning model provides accurate predictions of the magnitudes, the directions and the types of the impact events. The use of the developed smart helmet system can serve as an early-stage intervention strategy for mitigating and managing traumatic brain injuries within the Golden Hour --Abstract, page iv

Bridges Structural Health Monitoring and Deterioration Detection Synthesis of Knowledge and Technology

INE/AUTC 10.0

Fiber-optic and coaxial-cable extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometers for sensing applications

”The fiber-optic extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) is one of the simplest sensing configurations and is widely used in various applications due to its prominent features, such as high sensitivity, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and remote operation capability. In this research, a novel one-dimensional wide-range displacement sensor and a three-dimensional displacement sensor based on fiber-optic EFPIs are demonstrated. These two robust and easy-to-manufacture sensors expand the application scope of the fiber-optic EFPI sensor devices, and have great potential in structural health monitoring, the construction industry, oil well monitoring, and geo-technology. Furthermore, inspired by the fiber-optic EFPI, a novel and universal ultra-sensitive microwave sensing platform based on an open-ended hollow coaxial cable resonator (OE-HCCR, i.e., the coaxial cable EFPI) is developed. Both the theoretical predictions and experimental results demonstrate the ultra-high sensitivity of the OE-HCCR device to variations of the gap distance between the endface of the coaxial cable and an external metal plate. Additionally, combining the chemical-specific adsorption properties of metal-organic framework (MOF) materials with the dielectric sensitivity of the OE-HCCR, a mechanically robust and portable gas sensor device (OE-HCCR-MOF) with high chemical selectivity and sensitivity is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Due to its low cost, high sensitivity, all-metal structure, robustness, and ease of signal demodulation, it is envisioned that the proposed OE-HCCR device will advance EFPI sensing technologies, revolutionize the sensing field, and enable many important sensing applications that take place in harsh environments”--Abstract, page iv

Monitoring of a landfill side slope lining system: instrument selection, installation and performance

Municipal solid waste landfill barrier systems often comprise a combination of geosynthetics and mineral layers. Throughout the last twenty years there has been extensive research on the interactions between the materials and on performance of the geosynthetics including aspects of durability. This research has resulted in significant advances in the design and specification of landfill lining systems. However, to date there has been limited research carried out on in situ landfill lining system behaviour. Measured behaviour from field scale trials and of in service operation can provide valuable information on landfill lining system performance and allow a better understanding of composite material behaviour. Although many numerical modelling programs are applied to evaluate lining system stability and integrity, data to validate these models is currently limited. This paper highlights the data required to validate numerical models and instrumentation techniques that may be used to acquire this information. The paper focuses on geotechnical instrumentation deployed on the side slope lining system at the Milegate Extension Landfill, UK. The instrumented lining system comprises 1.0 m of compacted clay, a 2 mm double textured high density polyethylene geomembrane, a nonwoven geotextile and a sand cover soil layer. Instrument selection and problems associated with acquiring consistent, reliable and valuable data in a field environment are discussed, as are the challenges and problems that occur when preparing a full scale experiment. Sources of uncertainties within readings are highlighted. Additionally, initial results collected during sand veneer layer placement on the slope are presented. These demonstrate acceptable instrument performance over a 2 year period. Measured behaviour highlights the significance of geomembrane strains driven by temperature changes, generation of post peak strengths at interfaces during fill placement on the side slope due to relative displacement at interfaces between components, and mechanisms of stress redistribution in the geomembrane that result in time dependent changes in strain under constant load and temperature conditions

Advanced photonic and electronic systems WILGA 2016

Young Researchers Symposium WILGA on Photonics Applications and Web Engineering has been organized since 1998, two times a year. Subject area of the Wilga Symposium are advanced photonic and electronic systems in all aspects: theoretical, design and application, hardware and software, academic, scientific, research, development, commissioning and industrial, but also educational and development of research and technical staff. Each year, during the international Spring edition, the Wilga Symposium is attended by a few hundred young researchers, graduated M.Sc. students, Ph.D. students, young doctors, young research workers from the R&D institutions, universities, innovative firms, etc. Wilga, gathering through years the organization experience, has turned out to be a perfect relevant information exchange platform between young researchers from Poland with participation  of international guests, all active in the research areas of electron and photon technologies, electronics, photonics, telecommunications, automation, robotics and information technology, but also technical physics. The paper summarizes the achievements of the 38th Spring Edition of 2016 WILGA Symposium, organized in Wilga Village Resort owned by Warsaw University of technology

Strain Sensor Based on Embedded Fiber Bragg Grating in Thermoplastic Polyurethane Using the 3D Printing Technology for Improved Sensitivity

A new and easy-to-fabricate strain sensor has been developed, based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) technology embedded into a thermoplastic polyurethane filament using a 3-dimensional (3D) printer. Taking advantage of the flexibility and elastic properties of the thermoplastic polyurethane material, the embedding of the FBG provides durable protection with enhanced flexibility and sensitivity, as compared to the use of a bare FBG. Results of an evaluation of its performance have shown that the FBG sensors embedded in this way can be applied effectively in the measurement of strain, with an average wavelength responsivity of 0.013 5 nm/cm of displacement for tensile strain and −0.014 2 nm/cm for compressive strain, both showing a linearity value of up to 99%. Furthermore, such an embedded FBG-based strain sensor has a sensitivity of ∼1.74 times greater than that of a bare FBG used for strain measurement and is well protected and suitable for in-the-field use. It is also observed that the thermoplastic polyurethane based (TPU-based) FBG strain sensor carries a sensitivity value of ∼2.05 times higher than that of the polylactic acid based (PLA-based) FBG strain sensor proving that TPU material can be made as the material of choice as a “sensing” pad for the FBG

Fiber inline pressure and acoustic sensor fabricated with femtosecond laser

Pressure and acoustic measurements are required in many industrial applications such as down-hole oil well monitoring, structural heath monitoring, engine monitoring, study of aerodynamics, etc. Conventional sensors are difficult to apply due to the high temperature, electromagnetic-interference noise and limited space in such environments. Fiber optic sensors have been developed since the last century and have proved themselves good candidates in such harsh environment. This dissertation aims to design, develop and demonstrate miniaturized fiber pressure/acoustic sensors for harsh environment applications through femtosecond laser fabrication. Working towards this objective, the dissertation explored two types of fiber inline microsensors fabricated by femtosecond laser: an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) sensor with silica diaphragm for pressure/acoustic sensing, and an intrinisic Fabry-Perot interferometer (IFPI) for temperature sensing. The scope of the dissertation work consists of device design, device modeling/simulation, laser fabrication system setups, signal processing method development and sensor performance evaluation and demonstration. This research work provides theoretical and experimental evidences that the femtosecond laser fabrication technique is a valid tool to fabricate miniaturized fiber optic pressure and temperature sensors which possess advantages over currently developed sensors --Abstract, page iii