New possibilities of structural monitoring by using fibre Bragg grating sensors

For monitoring strains in concrete structures durable sensors providing reliable results for the whole lifetime of the structure are needed. The fibre Bragg grating technology is used for designing sensors meeting these requirements. Their major advantages are the long-term stability of the strain readings and the small dimensions allowing a variety of different applications in concrete technology and structural monitoring. Results of laboratory experiments undertaken for testing and optimizing Bragg grating sensors to be used in concrete structures are presented. In addition, on optical strain measurements for investigating load-independent deformations in hardening cement paste as well as the behavior of prestressed steel fibres in concrete is reported.