101 Health Monitoring of CFRP Composites Using Small-Diameter Optical Fibers

Abstract

Small-diameter optical fibers (cladding: 40μm in diameter) were embedded in O°plies on the border of 90° plies in CFRP cross-ply laminates for the detection of damage in the laminates. Two methods were used for the damege detection. 0ne of the methods is the monitoring of variations of light intensity. The other method uses the reflection spectrum from small-diameter Fibre Bragg Grating(FBG) sensors. The relationship between the output signals from the optical fibers and the dameges was investigated for the two methods experimentally and theoretically.