SENSORS: Novel Optical Fiber Sensors for Civil Engineering Structures

最近由于地震、事故和恐怖袭击导致的桥梁和建筑物倒塌，突显了监测国家民用基础设施系统状况的迫切需要。然而，阻碍基于传感器的监测的主要障碍之一是缺乏适合并可以密集部署在大型民用基础设施系统上的可靠、易于安装和具有成本效益的传感器。本研究的重点是开发一种分布式光纤加速度计系统，该系统最近被概念化为PI。该传感器系统代表了莫尔现象和光纤的新型集成，除了具有抗电磁干扰、易于布线和多路复用功能外，还实现了强大的性能。所有这些都是传统传感器无法实现的，这使得所提出的传感器系统成为民用基础设施监测应用的理想选择。这项研究的目的是调查将传感器概念设计成高性能和低成本的可复用光纤传感器系统在技术上是否可行。主要研究任务包括(1)开发具有分辨率和带宽之间最佳折衷的加速度计原型，(2)开发软件，通过创新的测量和信号处理进一步提高传感器的分辨率，以及(3)在世界最大的三峡电厂中国进行现场测试，传统传感器因强电磁干扰、高湿度和巨大规模而无法工作。该项目的高度跨学科性质和国际合作部分为本科生和研究生(包括代表性不足的学生)提供了独特的教育机会。这项研究将促进创新传感概念、信号处理和现场实施领域的科学知识。拟议的高性能光纤传感器将对国家民用基础设施的安全和可靠性产生积极影响。

Recent collapses of bridges and buildings due to earthquakes, accidents, and terrorist attacks have highlighted the urgent needs to monitor the condition of the nation's civil infrastructure systems. However, one of the major obstacles preventing sensor-based monitoring is the lack of reliable, easy-to-install, and cost-effective sensors that are suited for and can be densely deployed on large-scale civil infrastructure systems. This research focuses on development of a distributed optical fiber accelerometer system recently conceptualized by this PI. The sensor system represents a novel integration of the moir phenomena and fiber optics to achieve a robust performance in addition to its immunity to EM interference, easy cabling, and multiplexing capability. All of these, impossible to achieve by the conventional sensors, make the proposed sensor system ideal for applications in civil infrastructure monitoring. The objective of this research is to investigate whether it is technically feasible to engineer the sensor concept into a high-performance and low-cost multiplexible optical fiber sensor system. Major research tasks include (1) development of a prototype accelerometer with optimal tradeoff between resolution and bandwidth, (2) development of software that further increases the sensor resolution through innovative measurement and signal processing, and (3) field test in the world largest Three Gorges Power Plant in China, where the conventional sensors are rendered inoperable due to strong EM interference, high moisture, and huge scale. The highly interdisciplinary nature and the international collaboration component of this project provide unique educational opportunities to undergraduate and graduate (including underrepresented) students. This research will advance scientific knowledge in the areas of innovative sensing concepts, signal processing, and field implementation. The proposed high-performance optical fiber sensors will have a positive impact on the safety and reliability of the nation's civil infrastructure.