Real-Time Structural Health Monitoring Using a Novel Fiber-Optic Accelerometer System

Abstract

This paper presents a novel fiber-optic accelerometer system to monitor civil engineering structures in real time and a successful application of the novel sensor system for damage detection of the concrete slab structure. This sensor system integrates the Moireacute fringe phenomenon with fiber optics to achieve accurate and reliable measurements. A signal processing unit implements unique algorithms to further enhance the resolution and increase the dynamic bandwidth of the sensors. The sensor system is immune to electromagnetic (EM) interference, making it suitable for difficult applications in such environments involving strong EM fields, electrical spark-induced explosion risks, and cabling problems, prohibiting the use of conventional electromagnetic accelerometers. Especially, this paper presents a unique real-time signal processing algorithm and applications to real-time damage assessment, demonstrating the uniquely high performance of the Moireacute fringe fiber-optic sensor system