A Model of Embedded Fiber Optic Fabry-Perot Temperature and Strain Sensors

Abstract

A model was developed for embedded intrinsic and extrinsic Fabry-Perot fiber optic sensors. This model relates the strains and the temperature changes in the material surrounding the sensor to the reflected light intensity. The model consists of three parts. Submodel I relates the temperature and the strains in the material to the temperature and the strains inside the sensor. Submodel 2 relates the temperature and the strains inside the sensor to the change in sensor length and to the changes in the optical properties of the sensor. Submodel 3 relates the changes in sensor length and optical properties to the changes in the intensity of the reflected light. On the basis of the model, a computer code SENSOR1 was written which can be used to calculate the reflected light intensity for specified strains and temperature changes inside the material. The model and the code were verified by measuring changes in the light in tensity of an intrinsic Fabry-Perot sensor embedded in a graphite-epoxy composite plate subjected to loads varying with time. The changes in light intensities were measured and were also calculated by the code. The measured and calculated light intensities were found to be in good agreement.