Monitoring of a Highly Flexible Aircraft Model Wing Using Time-Expanded Phase-Sensitive OTDR
In recent years, the use of highly flexible wings in aerial vehicles (e.g., aircraft or drones) has been attracting increasing interest, as they are lightweight, which can improve fuel-efficiency and distinct flight performances. Continuous wing monitoring can provide valuable information to prevent...
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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Series: | Sensors |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/11/3766 |
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author | Miguel Soriano-Amat David Fragas-Sánchez Hugo F. Martins David Vallespín-Fontcuberta Javier Preciado-Garbayo Sonia Martin-Lopez Miguel Gonzalez-Herraez María R. Fernández-Ruiz |
author_facet | Miguel Soriano-Amat David Fragas-Sánchez Hugo F. Martins David Vallespín-Fontcuberta Javier Preciado-Garbayo Sonia Martin-Lopez Miguel Gonzalez-Herraez María R. Fernández-Ruiz |
author_sort | Miguel Soriano-Amat |
collection | DOAJ |
description | In recent years, the use of highly flexible wings in aerial vehicles (e.g., aircraft or drones) has been attracting increasing interest, as they are lightweight, which can improve fuel-efficiency and distinct flight performances. Continuous wing monitoring can provide valuable information to prevent fatal failures and optimize aircraft control. In this paper, we demonstrate the capabilities of a distributed optical fiber sensor based on time-expanded phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry (TE-ΦOTDR) technology for structural health monitoring of highly flexible wings, including static (i.e., bend and torsion), and dynamic (e.g., vibration) structural deformation. This distributed sensing technology provides a remarkable spatial resolution of 2 cm, with detection and processing bandwidths well under the MHz, arising as a novel, highly efficient monitoring methodology for this kind of structure. Conventional optical fibers were embedded in two highly flexible specimens that represented an aircraft wing, and different bending and twisting movements were detected and quantified with high sensitivity and minimal intrusiveness. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:55:22Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-306812aee50c4372bf2dc79b526b83a2 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1424-8220 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:55:22Z |
publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Sensors |
spelling | doaj.art-306812aee50c4372bf2dc79b526b83a22023-11-21T21:54:40ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-05-012111376610.3390/s21113766Monitoring of a Highly Flexible Aircraft Model Wing Using Time-Expanded Phase-Sensitive OTDRMiguel Soriano-Amat0David Fragas-Sánchez1Hugo F. Martins2David Vallespín-Fontcuberta3Javier Preciado-Garbayo4Sonia Martin-Lopez5Miguel Gonzalez-Herraez6María R. Fernández-Ruiz7Departamento de Electrónica, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Electrónica, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, SpainInstituto de Óptica, CSIC, 28006 Madrid, SpainR&D Department, ASD Division, Capgemini Engineering, C/Campezo 1, 28022 Madrid, SpainAragon Photonics Labs (APL), C/Prado 5, 50009 Zaragoza, SpainDepartamento de Electrónica, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Electrónica, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Electrónica, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, SpainIn recent years, the use of highly flexible wings in aerial vehicles (e.g., aircraft or drones) has been attracting increasing interest, as they are lightweight, which can improve fuel-efficiency and distinct flight performances. Continuous wing monitoring can provide valuable information to prevent fatal failures and optimize aircraft control. In this paper, we demonstrate the capabilities of a distributed optical fiber sensor based on time-expanded phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry (TE-ΦOTDR) technology for structural health monitoring of highly flexible wings, including static (i.e., bend and torsion), and dynamic (e.g., vibration) structural deformation. This distributed sensing technology provides a remarkable spatial resolution of 2 cm, with detection and processing bandwidths well under the MHz, arising as a novel, highly efficient monitoring methodology for this kind of structure. Conventional optical fibers were embedded in two highly flexible specimens that represented an aircraft wing, and different bending and twisting movements were detected and quantified with high sensitivity and minimal intrusiveness.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/11/3766structural health monitoringaircraftflexible wingstime-expanded-ΦOTDRRayleigh scatteringdual frequency combs |
spellingShingle | Miguel Soriano-Amat David Fragas-Sánchez Hugo F. Martins David Vallespín-Fontcuberta Javier Preciado-Garbayo Sonia Martin-Lopez Miguel Gonzalez-Herraez María R. Fernández-Ruiz Monitoring of a Highly Flexible Aircraft Model Wing Using Time-Expanded Phase-Sensitive OTDR Sensors structural health monitoring aircraft flexible wings time-expanded-ΦOTDR Rayleigh scattering dual frequency combs |
title | Monitoring of a Highly Flexible Aircraft Model Wing Using Time-Expanded Phase-Sensitive OTDR |
title_full | Monitoring of a Highly Flexible Aircraft Model Wing Using Time-Expanded Phase-Sensitive OTDR |
title_fullStr | Monitoring of a Highly Flexible Aircraft Model Wing Using Time-Expanded Phase-Sensitive OTDR |
title_full_unstemmed | Monitoring of a Highly Flexible Aircraft Model Wing Using Time-Expanded Phase-Sensitive OTDR |
title_short | Monitoring of a Highly Flexible Aircraft Model Wing Using Time-Expanded Phase-Sensitive OTDR |
title_sort | monitoring of a highly flexible aircraft model wing using time expanded phase sensitive otdr |
topic | structural health monitoring aircraft flexible wings time-expanded-ΦOTDR Rayleigh scattering dual frequency combs |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/11/3766 |
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