Fiber Optic Distributed Crack Sensor for Concrete Structures

Xianglin Gu, Zhongyu Chen, and Farhad Ansari

Abstract
A distributed fiber optic sensor is developed for embedment in concrete structures.
The sensor consists of a number of individual segments on one line with gauge lengths
designed according to the structural and materials requirements. An optical time
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domain reflectometer (OTDR) is employed for interrogation of the sensor signal. The
study reported here is aimed at demonstrating the applicability of this sensor in
monitoring cracking of concrete structures.

Introduction
Condition monitoring of concrete structures involve detection of cracking and damage
due to repeated loads, corrosion, failure of bond, delamination, determination of strain
in reinforcing bars, residual strength and estimation of overall elemental and structural
displacements such as deflections. In regards to sensing and detection of cracks and
measurement of crack widths, optical fiber sensors provide advantages over the
existing technologies (Ansari, 1997a, Claus, 1993, Nawy, 1992).
Full-scale monitoring of structures requires sensing at multiple points and within large
volumes. Therefore, many sensors are normally required (Ansari, 1997b). The spatial
resolution of each measurement should be small, and within few inches so that
formation of a crack in various locations of a structure could be detected. The
objective of the work presented here was to fulfill this purpose. The practical
approach involves development of a single distributed sensor with capability for
making the measurements from only one side of the structure. The work presented
here pertains to the development of a distributed optical fiber crack sensor. This
sensor can be employed for detection of cracks and measurement of crack widths in
concrete structures. The basic principle of operation for the crack sensor is based on
intensity variation of the optical power within the fiber due to the initiation and
opening of cracks.

Sensor Methodology
The most practical approach for distributed fiber optic sensing is based on Optical
Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR). OTDR was developed for the characterization
of the optical fibers in the telecommunication systems. It is an important tool for
detection of transmission irregularities due to splice losses, and local damage along the
fiber length. More specifically, an OTDR is employed for determining the position of
damage along the fiber length. It is also capable of one-port operation at the fiber
input with no need to access the fiber output. In a basic OTDR measurement, a laser
transmitter launches an optical pulse into the fiber under test. The reflected signal
travels through the optical fiber and then it is reflected back through the fiber into the
OTDR. Signal reflection occurs due to Rayleigh and Fresnel back scattering events.
Microscopic density fluctuations within the core of the fiber material give rise to
refractive index impurities which in turn are responsible for Rayleigh back scattering.

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Advanced Technology in Structural Engineering
 Fresnel reflections originate from many points along the fiber where abrupt and
discrete discontinuities occur in the index of refraction (Fig.1). One example is
spliced and or connectorized regions along the length of the fiber. Straining of the
fiber within a segment bounded by the spliced regions result in intensity fluctuation of
the reflected signal, which is due to the loss of optical power at the air-to-fiber
interface in the spliced point.
A typical segment of a sensor between two Fresnel points is shown in Fig.2. The
Fresnel signals are also given in the schematics representing the OTDR screen. It is
assumed that the optical fiber consists only of one gauge length between the two
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Fresnel points representing the reference and reflector planes R0 and R1 respectively.
The pulse of laser enters the fiber from the reference plane at R0 with intensity I0. It is
partially transmitted and reflected at the reflector plane R1. The reflected signals re-
enter the OTDR and create the Fresnel peaks. The incident, transmitted and reflected
signals are represented by I0, IT and IR. Accordingly only a portion of the incident
signal is transmitted, whereas, the rest is reflected. The insertion loss that represents
the ratio of incident and the actual transmitted signal is given in logarithmic scale in
decibels (db) as:

I0
I lo = 10 log (2)
IT

In a similar manner the return loss of the incident light is:

I0
Rlo = 10 log (3)
IR

In the absence of strain, Ilo and Rlo remain constant. However, upon straining, Ilo and
Rlo vary with strain. Variations in Ilo and Rlo are manifested in the amplitude of the
Fresnel reflection peaks. Accordingly, the insertion and return losses can be employed
for the determination of strain or deformation through the following relationships:

∆I lo = I lol − I lo (4)
∆Rlo = Rlol − Rlo (5)
δ or ε = α ∆ I lo (or ε = β ∆ R lo ) (6)

Where, ∆Il0 = insertion loss after strain

∆Rlo = return loss after strain
ε = Average strain within the gauge, d, of the optical fiber
δ = Deformation of the optical fiber along the gauge length, d
α, β = Proportionality constant relating deformations and strains to the optical
loss factors.

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 A distributed sensor consisting of n-segments in series is schematically depicted in
Fig. 3. In this case, to monitor and measure strain and deformation in the i-th sensor
alone, it is necessary to obtain the insertion and return loss of the i-th fiber optic
segment. Omitting the intermediate steps, return loss in the i-th segment, Rl,(“) , takes
the following form:

(1) - R
4, - lo’
R (i) = R,’ _ R/,,j-’ + RI,+‘) - zlo+‘)
(8)
lo (i = 2,3;-.,n)
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Determination of Sensor Response

Sensor response to cracking was examined through experimentation with
notched concrete beams. Experimentation with plain concrete specimens involved
embedment of a single gauge sensor in concrete beams. Beam dimensions were
508mm x 76mm x 76mm (20in. x 3in. x 3in.), with a span of 457mm (18in.). They
were tested under three-point-bend loading in a closed-loop material testing system.
Beams had a 38-mm (1.5 inch) notch at center span, and a Linear Variable Differential
Transformer (LVDT) was employed for monitoring of crack opening at the notch tip.
The optical fiber sensor was embedded along the span length of the fiber. The sensor
was embedded along the line traversing the notch tip. The LVDT attachment was
designed to monitor the opening of the crack tip at the level of the optical fiber sensor.
The specimen loading was accomplished under displacement control in order to obtain
the post-peak (post-cracking) response of the specimens. Three specimens were
tested, and Fig.4 corresponds to typical return loss measurements by the optical fiber,
as a function of the crack tip opening displacement (COD) by the LVDT.
Crack Sensor in Reinforced Concrete Beams
Experimentation with reinforced concrete (RC) beams involved distributed
sensing of the cracks. Beam dimensions and the reinforcement pattern for the three
RC beams are shown in Fig.5. The distributed sensor was employed to detect concrete
cracks, and it was strategically placed below the tensile steel in the concrete cover,
near the bottom surface of the beam. At this location, it was easy to compare the crack
detection and measurement capability of the sensor against visual observations and
measurements. The single line distributed sensor consisted of six gauge lengths (457-
mm) along the span (F, through F6 in Fig.5). In a typical formwork operation the
optical fiber was stretched along the length of the beam at the desired depth, and then
the concrete was poured. The fiber optic connector was placed in the formwork in the
concrete pouring operations and it was used for making connections to the OTDR
during the experiments.
Beams were tested in a closed-loop servo-hydraulic testing system under four-
point bending with loads applied at middle third of the span. Cracking of the beam
was monitored by the optical fiber sensor and visual inspections. Visual inspections
involved marking the crack locations; their progression and measurement of crack
widths by a micrometer scale graduated caliper (crack comparator). Beams B and C
were instrumented in a manner similar to beam A and they were loaded monotonically
until failure.

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Advanced Technology in Structural Engineering
 As per foregoing discussions, the distributed crack sensor was designed to detect the
initiation and progression of cracks within specified gauge lengths along the span.
Several cracks formed along each individual gauge length of the optical fiber sensor
(F1 through F6). The sensor detected the initiation of all the cracks along the span, and
it measured crack widths along individual gauge lengths. With this sensor, crack
widths are acquired in a cumulative manner within the individual gauge lengths. Fig.
6 correspond to crack pattern at failure, and crack width measurements as acquired by
the optical fiber sensor.
Conclusions
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Development and methodologies pertaining to a distributed sensor for condition

monitoring of concrete structures is described. The sensor developed here operates
based on the intensity measurements of optical power. An experimental program was
undertaken in order to study the feasibility of the embedded sensor in detection of
cracks and measurement of deformations in concrete structures. Experimental results
are encouraging as the sensor was able to detect and measure the crack widths in
reinforced concrete beams.

References

Ansari,F., (1997a), ” Theory and Applications of Integrated Fiber Optic Sensors in

Structures,” ASCE-SP, in Intelligent Civil Engineering Materials and Structures, Ed.
Ansari F., pp.2-28.

Ansari, F., (1997b)," State-of-the-art in the Applications of Fiber Optic Sensors to

Cementitious Composites," Cement & Concrete Composites, Vol. 19, No.1,PP. 3-19.

Claus, R.O., Gunther, M.F., Wang,A.B., Murphy,K.A., Sun,D.,(1993)," Extrinsic

Fabry-Perot Sensor for Structural Evaluation," in Applications of Fiber Optic Sensors
in Engineering Mechanics, ASCE-EMD Special Publication, Ansari, F., Ed., ASCE,
New York, pp. 60-70.

Nawy, E., Prohaska, J., (1992), "Fiber Optic Bragg Grating Sensor in Large Scale
Concrete Structures," Proc. SPIE, Vol. 1798, Dec. 1992, pp. 1-22.

Corresponding author

Farhad Ansari, Professor and Head, Department of Civil & Materials Engineering,
University of Illinois at Chicago, 842 W. Taylor St., Chicago, Illinois 60607,
fansari@uic.edu.

Copyright ASCE 2004 Structures 2000

Advanced Technology in Structural Engineering
 Pulsed laser
Fiber coupler
Splice
Processor
Splice
G. L. 2
Detector G. L. 1
Launch end
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reflection Fresnel Reflection

Light Fresnel Reflection
intensity

G. L.
Rayleigh
scattering Rayleigh scattering

G. L. = gage Time (equivalent distance)

Fig. 1 OTDR operation principle

d
IR
IT

I0
Reference Fiber cladding Fiber core Reflecting
plane (R0) plane (R1)

OTDR Screen

Ilo (Rlo)

Fig. 2 A typical segment of the sensor between two Fresnel points and their peaks
in the OTDR screen

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Advanced Technology in Structural Engineering
 Distributed fiber RC

IR IR … IRi … IR
1 2 i n
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I0 IT … …
IT ITi IT
Referenc Reflector Reflector Reflector Reflector
e (R1) (R2) (Ri) (Rn)
plane(R0)

Iloi
i

Ilo(i)
(Rlo(i))
OTD

Fig.3 Multi-gauge fiber optic sensor.

0.45

0.4 ∆ R lo
δ = × 10 3
0.35 4 .2
0.3

∆Rlo 0.25

0.2
Concrete
0.15 cracks
0.1

0.05

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14

δ × 103 µm

Fig. 4 Typical return loss versus displacement response of the optical fiber

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Advanced Technology in Structural Engineering
 3-#2 7-#2 stirrups
7-#2
#2 lift 2-#3
A

12’’(304.8m
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3-#4 for beam A, B ; 2-#4 for

A
3’(914.4mm 3’(914.4mm 3’(914.4m
6’’(152.4m 6’’(152.4m
2-#3

17-#2stirrups
12’’(304.8m 3-#4 for beam A, B; 2-#4 for

Section A-A
6’’(152.4m

(a) Details of the reinforcement pattern in beams

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6

(b) Fiber optic sensor location and the gauge length designations in the beam

Fig. 5 Beam dimensions, reinforcement, and fiber optic sensor gauge designations in RC-
beams

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 Crushing
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14(62.272 P/ 9(40.03 P/
)
17(75.61 23(102.30
14(62.27

13(57.82 14(62.27 7(31.13 13(57.82 10(44.48 17(31 13

Fiber optic
F6 F5 F4 F3 F2 F1

All visible cracks happened

at load of P=8kips(35.584kN)
except those marked with
P=8kips(35.584k
0 0

P=10kips(44.49

P=12kips(53.376k

P=18kips(80.064k

0.1 2.54
(in) (mm)

Fig.6 Distribution of cracks and crack openings for beam B

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Advanced Technology in Structural Engineering