Tunable laser based carbon composite strain sensing system using wavelength division multiplexed fiber Bragg grating sensors [5758-2]

A carbon composite strain sensing system using an embedded array of polymide-coated fiber Bragg grating sensors, which are interrogated by a tunable laser, is described. The system is controlled from a personal computer using a customized program. The system was tested using a composite panel consisting of 28 plies of carbon fiber. Consistent strain measurements were achieved using a laser scan resolution of 0.02 nm, which corresponds to a strain resolution of approximately 15 . Simulations of the panel were carried out using the Marc/Mentat finite element program for advanced engineering analysis. The experimental results compared well to those obtained from the simulations.