Impact monitoring in smart composites using stabilization controlled FBG sensor system

Impact location monitoring is one of the major concerns of the smart health monitoring. For this application, multipoint ultrasonic sensors are to be employed. In this study, a multiplexed FBG sensor system with wide dynamic range was proposed and stabilization controlling system was also developed for the maintenance of maximum sensitivity of sensors. For the intensity demodulation system of FBG sensors, Fabry-Perot tunable filter (FP-TF) with 23.8 nm FSR (free spectral range) was used, which behaves as two separate filters between 1530 - 1560 nm range. Two FBG sensors were attached on the bottom side of the graphite/epoxy composite beam specimen, and low velocity impact tests were performed to detect the one-dimensional impact locations. Impact locations were calculated by the arrival time differences of the impact longitudinal waves acquired by the two FBGs. As a result, multiplexed in-line FBG sensors could detect the moment of impact precisely and found the impact locations with the average error of 1.32 mm.