The Evolution of Optical Fiber Sensors Technologies During the 35 Last Years and Their Applications in Structure Health Monitoring

Conference of 7th European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring, EWSHM 2014 ; Conference Date: 8 July 2014 Through 11 July 2014; Conference Code:113023International audienceSince late 70s, (quasi-)distributed OFS have been developed, 12 countries producing 85% of the global effort. Since mid-80s, OFS has caught attention in many sectors where SHM is a matter of concern (civil engineering, composites, oil & gas, renewable energies, safety...). Today, OFS is became a strategic domain, especially in Asia, and China invests a lot since 7-8 years. Top 12 countries involved in SHM are, almost the same than in OFS, having published 80% of the total. Statistics proves that OFS is now the second sensing technology for SHM, and 2/3 concern the FBG sensing

SPIRAL2 accelerator construction progress

TH2A02 - ISBN 878-3-95450-122-9International audienceThe installation of the SPIRAL2 superconducting accelerator at GANIL is almost started. All the major components have been tested in the various partner laboratories, and the building construction is now well engaged. The management of the interfaces between the process and the buildings is a strategic point in an underground accelerator, with strong space constraints. This paper describes the performances of the various components

Quaternary Silver Bismuth Chalcogenide Halides Ag - Bi - Q - X (Q = S, Se; X = Cl, Br): Syntheses and Crystal Structures

Systematic synthetic investigations of the quaternary systems Ag - Bi - Q - X (Q = S, Se; X = Cl, Br) led to a variety of quaternary phases that exhibit considerable structural diversity with increasing complexity. These include Ag1.2Bi17.6S23Cl8, AgBi4Se5Br3 and numerous members of the homologous double series Agx(N+1)Bi2+(1-x)(N+1)Q2+(2-2x)(N+1)X2+(2x-1)(N+1) denoted (N, x)P. N represents the order number of a given homologue and x is the degree of substitution of Bi by Ag with 1/2 <= x <= 1. Their structures are built up from two alternating types of modules denoted A and B that are stacked parallel to (001). In module A, rows of edge-sharing [MZ6] octahedra (Z = X and/or Q); M = Ag and/or Bi) running parallel to [010] alternate along [100] with parallel chains of paired monocapped trigonal prisms around Bi atoms. The module type denoted B represents NaCl-type fragments of varying thickness. It is defined by the number N of octahedra within the chain of edge-sharing octahedra running diagonally across it in the (010) plane of the structure. The thickness of module B for current members of the series extends from N = 0 to N = 7. All structures exhibit Ag/Bi disorder in octahedrally coordinated metal positions and Q/X (Q = S, Se; X = Cl, Br) mixed occupation of some anion positions. Some of these compounds are narrow gap semiconductors

Télédétection et caractéristiques physiques des dépôts meubles dans un milieu anciennement englacé du sud du Québec

L'analyse géomorphologique à partir de bandes spectrales débordant le rayonnement visible est encore au stade expérimental. La stratigraphie et la structure interne des dépôts meubles ne peuvent être directement détectées, mais la granulométrie et les formes de surface peuvent l'être. Dans le cas des surfaces dénudées, la granulométrie est reliée à la réflectance dans le visible et le proche infrarouge et à la rugosité détectable par le radar. Dans le cas des surfaces recouvertes de végétation, la granulométrie peut être déduite indirectement des conditions d'humidité des sols, qui commandent l'alimentation en eau des plantes, dans le visible, le proche infrarouge, l'infrarouge thermique, le radar (constante diélectrique) et théoriquement les micro-ondes passives. Sans compter la traditionnelle photointerprétation stéréoscopique, les formes de surface peuvent être reconnues soit de façon automatisée, surtout dans le cas des formes linéaires, lorsque l'on possède des documents numérisés, soit de façon visuelle par rehaussement d'image lors de la prise de vue (radar, thermographies). Les formes de surface peuvent aussi être rehaussées au moment du traitement par incorporation d'un modèle numérique de terrain ou avec des images de composantes spectrales. Des expériences ont été conduites en Estrie afin de distinguer les tills des dépôts fluvioglaciaires ou glacio-lacustres. Il en résulte que l'imagerie la plus efficace dans le cas d'une analyse visuelle est l'infrarouge thermique diurne en automne quand les effets de l'insolation sur la topographie sont maximaux et où ceux des écarts d'albédo sont réduits.Géomorphologie analysis based on or using spectral bands beyond the visible is still at an experimental stage. If stratigraphy and internal structure of surficial deposits cannot be directly detected, grain size and surface landforms are detectable, however. In the case of non vegetated areas, grain size is related to visible and near infrared reflectance, and to surface roughness detectable by airborne radar. In the case of vegetated surfaces, grain size can be inferred indirectly from soil moisture conditions which are detectable in the visible, near infrared, thermal infrared, radar (dielectric constant) and theoretically in the passive microwave spectral ranges. Besides traditional stereoscopic photointerpretation, surface landforms, especially linear ones, can be recognized either automatically, if digital data are available, or visually through enhancements generated in numerical analysis by data acquisition methods (radar, thermography). Surface landforms can also be enhanced by incorporation of a digital terrain model or by principal component enhancement. Experiments have been conducted in the Eastern Townships of Québec, in order to distinguish glacial tills from fluvioglacial or lacustrine deposits. The most efficient imagery for this purpose, using visual analysis, is daytime thermal infrared, acquired during the Fall, when insolation effects on topography are greatest and albedo variations are least.Geomorphologische Analyse die sich auf den Gebrauch, von ausserhalb des Sichtbaren liegenden spectralen Streifen grùndet, ist noch im Experimentalstadium. Wenn auch Stratigraphie und innere Struktur der Oberflàchen Ablagerungen nicht direkt untersucht werden kônnen, sind jedoch Korngrôsse und Oberflàchen Landformen untersuchbar. Im FaIIe von nicht Vegetations gedeckten Gegenden, ist die Korngrôsse verbunden mit der sichtbaren und nahinfraroten Reflektanz und mit der Oberflàchen Rauheit, welche mit dem Radar detektiert werden kann. Im FaIIe von Vegetations bedeckten Gegenden kann die Korngrôsse durch die Bodenfeuchtigkeits Verhâltnisse, welche durch die sichtbaren, nahinfraroten, thermal infraroten, Radar (dielektrische Konstante) und theoretisch in dem passiven Mikrowellen spektral Raum, angenommen werden kônnen. Neben der traditionellen stereoskopischen Photo-interpretation, Oberflachenlandformen, besonders lineâre, kônnen entweder automatisch erkannt werden, wenn digital Daten vorhanden sind, oder visuele, durch das Erheben des Bildes bei der Aufnahme (Radar, Thermographie). Die Oberflàchenformen kônnen auch verbessert werden durch das Einschliessen von digitalen Terrain-Modellen oder durch Hauptkomponenten Verbesserung. In den Cantons de l'Est in Québec, wurden Expérimente durchgefùhrt, urn glazialen Till von fluvioglazialen oder lakustrinen Ablagerungen zu unterscheiden. Es ergiebt sich, dass die leistungsfàhigsten Abbildungen fur eine visuelle Analyse vom thermischen, Tagesinfrarot stammen im Herbst, wenn die Einflusse der Sonnenbestrahlung auf die Topographie am grôssten sind, und die der albedo Abweichungen reduziert sind

OFDR Distributed Strain Measurements for SHM of Hydrostatic Stressed Structures: An Application to High Pressure Hydrogen Storage Type IV Composite Vessels - H2E Project

International audienceThis paper deals with SHM of Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPV) for high pressure hydrogen storage, based on embedded optical fibres and Rayleigh OFDR. Fibre Bragg Gratings in situ strain measurements on flat samples are first presented to assess the mechanical state of such anisotropic structures, and define a preliminary SHM criterion. Comparative fatigue tests were also performed on NOL rings to evaluate optical fibres mechanical impact, but their analysis in terms of energy revealed the difficulty to provide reliable results if the first cycles energy is not accurately controlled. Therefore, with no detrimental effect of the optical fibre embedment within the composite architecture, several instrumented pressure vessels were manufactured and tested. Accordingly, a mechanical criterion based on OFDR differential strain profiles analysis was defined to bring out internal defects, demonstrating the ability to early detect and locate internal flaws without requirements to inflate vessels at high pressures. Additionally, their sensitivity vs. pressure, analysed during a first burst test, provided additional valuable data about structure integrity. Finally, we define four complementary criteria based on in situ strain measurements to control pressure vessels for damage assessment, or any hydrostatic stressed structure since the underlying principles rely on strains proportionality vs. uniformly applied stresses

OFDR Distributed Temperature and Strain Measurements with Optical Fibre Sensing Cables: Application to Drain Pipeline Monitoring in a Nuclear Power Plant

International audienceThis study deals with the testing of innovative Optical Fibre Sensing (OFS) cables deployed on ducts, with the aim to perform distributed temperature and strain measurements. Such cables contain several optical fibres devoted to be interrogated by Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR). The methodology has first been developed and qualified in laboratory. Then, real tests have been performed on a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) drain system to demonstrate the industrial feasibility of such technology. To do so, two small diameter sensing cables, compatible with distributed temperature and strain measurements, have been qualified and afterwards installed along a sodium drain line at Superphenix NPP (liquid sodium coolant fast breeder reactor in current dismantling). Measurements have been performed during the preheating operation. Recorded data were post-processed according to a semi-empirical model taking into account temperature dependence and thermo-mechanical sensing cable behaviour. Optical fibre distributed temperature measurements were then successfully compared to thermocouple reference measurements, whereas optical sensing cable data were processed to provide distributed strain, then distributed curvature radius, which will enable, after numerical integration, to compute distributed displacement data. The goal is to assess the use of OFS for monitoring both temperature and mechanical strain distribution along a pipe under heat stress

Modelling wheat and sugar markets in Eastern and Southern Africa. Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes (ReNAPRI)

The medium-term outlook for wheat and sugar markets in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Zambia depicts a mixed picture with regard to production, consumption, prices and trade development. It takes the latest trends, policies and market information into consideration, but remains subject to many uncertainties on upcoming market development, macroeconomics or policy changes over the period 2015 to 2024.JRC.D.4-Economics of Agricultur

Tilted Fiber Bragg Grating photowritten in microstructured optical fiber for improved refractive index measurement

International audienceWe report what we believe to be the first Tilted short-period Fiber Bragg Grating photowritten in a microstructured optical fiber for refractive index measurement. We investigate the spectral sensitivity of Tilted Fiber Bragg Grating to refractive index liquid inserted into the holes of a multimode microstructured fiber. We measure the wavelength shift of the first four modes experimentally observed when calibrated oils are inserted into the fiber holes, and thus we determine the refractive index resolution for each of these modes. Moreover, a cross comparison between experimental and simulation results of a modal analysis is performed. Two simulation tools are used, respectively based on the localized functions method and on a finite element method. All results are in very good agreement

Three-hole microstructured optical fiber for efficient Fiber Bragg Grating refractometer

International audienceWe present a photosensitive three-hole microstructured optical fiber specifically designed to improve the refractive index sensitivity of a standard Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor photowritten in the suspended Ge-doped silica core. We describe the specific photowriting procedure used to realize gratings in such a fiber. We then determine their spectral sensitivity to the refractive index changes of material filling the holes surrounding the core. The sensitivity is compared to that of standard FBGs photowritten in a six-hole fiber with a larger core diameter. We demonstrate an improvement of the sensitivity by two orders of magnitude and reach a resolution of 3 x 10-5 and 6 x 10-6 around mean refractive index values of 1.33 and 1.40, respectively