High-speed strain monitoring in ship structures

TNO has developed a new interrogation/demultiplexing system for Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor arrays. This potentially low cost system combines a high-speed readout frequency with absolute measurement for all the Fiber Bragg Grating sensor channels. This combination is of particular interest for the detection of strain changes, which is the main cause of hairline cracks that develop in metal structures (e.g., a ship’s hull). A patent is pending for this system.