J. Palaniappan

Prediction of the reflected spectra from chirped fibre Bragg gratings embedded within cracked crossply laminates

Matrix cracking damage is a generic type of damage that develops under load in the off-axis plies of laminated composites and is generally the precursor of more serious damage mechanisms, particularly delamination. Hence, it is important to identify and if possible locate this type of damage. Chirped fibre Bragg grating sensors have been embedded in a transparent glass fibre reinforced plastic crossply laminate and changes to the reflected spectra as a consequence of crack development have been studied. An approximately sinusoidal variation of the intensity of the reflected spectrum occurs at the position of the crack, enabling both crack development and crack position to be identified. A simulation of a reflected spectrum, incorporating a stress transfer model to predict the strains and an optical model to predict the reflected spectrum, is in reasonable agreement with the experimental results.

The use of an embedded chirped fibre Bragg grating sensor to monitor disbond initiation and growth in adhesively bonded composite/metal single lap joints

Chirped fibre Bragg grating (CFBG) sensors embedded within glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) adherends have been used to monitor disbond initiation and growth in an adhesively bonded GFRP/aluminium alloy single lap joint. The elevated temperature curing of the adhesive used in the manufacture of the joint leads to thermal strains being generated within the GFRP and aluminium adherends. Disbond initiation and growth between the adherends during fatigue cycling causes a relaxation of the residual thermal strains within the composite adherend and perturbations (peaks or dips) in the reflection spectra from the CFBG sensor. These perturbations can be used, when the joint is unloaded, to monitor both the initiation of a disbond in the joint and to monitor the growth of the disbond with fatigue cycling.

Detection of defects in as manufactured GFRP–GFRP and CFRP–CFRP composite bonded joints using chirped fibre Bragg grating sensors

Abstract Chirped fibre Bragg grating (CFBG) sensors have been embedded in composite coupons which have been used to form one half of single lap bonded joints. The bonded joints have been made with deliberately included defects, consisting of either a PTFE insert or an air gap, and the sensors have been used to detect the presence and location of the defects. The experimental results, and the modelling, show that defects in both GFRP–GFRP joints and CFRP–CFRP joints can be detected by the embedded CFBG sensors, though it is easier to detect defects in the lower stiffness (GFRP) joints.

Use of conventional and chirped optical fibre Bragg gratings to detect matrix cracking damage in composite materials

A comparison is made between conventional (i.e. uniform) and chirped optical fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) for the detection of matrix cracking damage in composite materials. Matrix cracking damage is generally the first type of visible damage to develop under load in the off-axis plies of laminated composites and is generally the precursor of more serious damage mechanisms, particularly delamination. The detection of this type of damage is thus important, particularly in aerospace applications. Using a uniform FBG, characteristic changes develop in the reflected spectrum which can be used to identify crack development in the composite. The additional advantage of using a chirped grating is that the crack position can also be located.