Embedded fibre optic sensors under multi-axial loading: a pilot study

Fibre optic sensors where embedded in an FRP panel during manufacture. Strain data was collected under uniform distributed loading and used to inversely predict distributed loads. A square FRP panel was manufactured while embedding an FBG sensor network. The panel was tested under various uniform distributed loads. Sensor data was collected and a strain signature was developed for each load case. A Finite Element Analysis was used to predict strain data at sensor locations and these were found to correlate well with the experimental values. Software was used to inversely predict distributed loading from the strain data with good accuracy. It was found with FEA and experimentally that the number of sensors could be reduced for this type of loading