High-Speed, High-Resolution Multimode Sensing of Structural Strain and Shape

Researchers at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) have been developing a fiber optic sensing system (FOSS) that represents a major breakthrough in operational monitoring of myriad structures. FOSS consists of eight 40-foot optical fibers, each containing 2,000 fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors along its entire length. These fibers are attached to the surface of, or even embedded within a structure. As the structure experiences stress or pressure, the FBG sensors respond to the strain. FOSS uses this response to calculate a variety of critical parameters, including strain, shape deformation, temperature, liquid level, strength, and operational loads.