Distributed fiber optic strain and temperature sensing for structural health monitoring

Abstract

Distributed fiber optic sensing presents unique features that have no match in conventional sensing techniques. The ability to measure temperatures and strain at thousands of points along a single fiber is particularly interesting for the monitoring of large structures such as bridges, pipelines, flow lines, oil wells, dams and dikes. Sensing systems based on Brillouin and Raman scattering have been used for example to measure cables and pavement temperatures in bridges, detect pipeline leakages, prevent failure of pipelines installed in landslide areas, optimize oil production from wells and detect hot-spots in high-power cables.