Abstract
The performance of surface-mounted extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) sensors during a seventeen-million-cycle, high-strain fatigue test is reported. Fiber-optic strain measurements did not degrade during the test. The sensors were applied to a composite propeller blade subject to a constant axial load and a cyclic bending load. Strain measurements were taken at four blade locations using two types of EFPI sensors and co-located electrical resistance strain gages. Static and dynamic strain measurements were taken daily during the 65 days of this standard propeller-blade test. All fiber-optic sensors survived the fatigue test while most of the resistive gages failed. The suitability of fiber-optic monitoring for fatigue testing and other high-cycle monitoring is demonstrated.
Recommended Citation
S. E. Watkins et al., "Fatigue Testing of a Composite Propeller Blade using Fiber-Optic Strain Sensors," IEEE Sensors Journal, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Jan 2003.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2003.815795
Department(s)
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
65 Day; EFPI; Fabry-Perot Interferometers; Aerospace Testing; Axially Loaded Blade; Composite Propeller Blade; Cyclic Bending Load; Dynamic Strain Measurement; Electrical Resistance Strain Gages; Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric Sensors; Fatigue Testing; Fiber-Optic Strain Sensors; Fibre Optic Sensors; High-Strain Fatigue Test; Propeller Fatigue Testing; Smart Structures; Static Strain Measurement; Strain Gauges; Surface-Mounted Sensors
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1530-437X
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2003 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jan 2003
