Optical fibre Bragg grating sensors for aerospace smart structures

The author presents work which indicates that the use of embedded fibre Bragg gratings as optical sensors for smart sensory structures could be a viable technology. It has been demonstrated that gratings can be embedded routinely without damage into carbon fibre composite material. The harsh embedding conditions do not significantly affect the optical characteristics of the gratings. Once embedded, the gratings act as strain sensors producing measurements consistent with predictions. Six embedded, multiplexed grating sensors have detected strain gradients in a loaded composite panel of complex structure.