Distributed Polymer Optical Fiber Sensors in Geotextiles for Monitoring of Earthwork Structures - BAM

Polymer optical fiber (POF) sensors based on the Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) technique provide the unique ability to measure high strain up to 40 % fully distributed along the fiber. Standard PMMA POF are introduced and evaluated in potential use and applicability. The advances in distributed POF strain sensor technology are concluded with respect to application in structural health monitoring. Special focus is placed on sensor integration into technical textiles aimed for earthwork structures such as lopes, dikes and embankments. These smart textiles not only provide enforcement capabilities, they also enable to detect movement of soil and locate its position. We present the results of the first real field test of POF-integrated geotextiles in an open coal pit in Belchatow, Poland. The sensorintegrated textile enabled to detect the edge of a creeping slope and monitor the width of the breakage gap.