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. 2024 Jul 18;24(14):4659.
doi: 10.3390/s24144659.

The Impact of Liquids and Saturated Salt Solutions on Polymer-Coated Fiber Optic Sensors for Distributed Strain and Temperature Measurement

Martin Weisbrich  1 , Dennis Messerer  1 , Frank Holzer  2 , Ulf Trommler  2 , Ulf Roland  2 , Klaus Holschemacher  1
Affiliations

The Impact of Liquids and Saturated Salt Solutions on Polymer-Coated Fiber Optic Sensors for Distributed Strain and Temperature Measurement

Martin Weisbrich et al. Sensors (Basel). .

Abstract

The application of distributed fiber optic strain and temperature measurement can be utilized to address a multitude of measurement tasks across a diverse range of fields, particularly in the context of structural health monitoring in the domains of building construction, civil engineering, and special foundation engineering. However, a comprehensive understanding of the influences on the measurement method and the sensors is essential to prevent misinterpretations or measurement deviations. In this context, this study investigated the effects of moisture exposure, including various salt solutions and a high pH value, on a distributed strain measurement using Rayleigh backscattering. Three fiber optic sensors with different coating materials and one uncoated fiber were exposed to five different solutions for 24 h. The study revealed significant discrepancies (∼38%) in deformation between the three coating types depending on the surrounding solution. Furthermore, in contrast to the prevailing literature, which predominantly describes swelling effects, a negative deformation (∼-47 με) was observed in a magnesium chloride solution. The findings of this study indicate that corresponding effects can impact the precision of measurement, potentially leading to misinterpretations. Conversely, these effects could be used to conduct large-scale monitoring of chemical components using distributed fiber optic sensing.

Keywords: DFOS; SHM (Structural Health Monitoring); distributed fiber optic sensing; fiber coating; fiber optic sensor; strain measurement; temperature measurement.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic test setup.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Experimental procedure.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Fluid exposure, ORMOCER®-coated fiber.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Fluid exposure, Polyimid-coated fiber.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Fluid exposure, Acrylate-coated fiber.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Fluid exposure, uncoated fiber.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Fluid exposure, DIW.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Fluid exposure, MgCl2 solution.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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