Measurement of crack propagation in polymer pipes with embedded optical fibers

Rolf Broennimann; Mehdi Farshad; Philipp M. Nellen; Urs J. Sennhauser

doi:10.1117/12.221113

21 September 1995 Measurement of crack propagation in polymer pipes with embedded optical fibers

Rolf Broennimann, Mehdi Farshad, Philipp M. Nellen, Urs J. Sennhauser

Proceedings Volume 2509, Smart Structures: Optical Instrumentation and Sensing Systems; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.221113
Event: European Symposium on Optics for Environmental and Public Safety, 1995, Munich, Germany

Abstract

A specially designed optical time domain reflectometer was used to measure the speed of propagation of rapidly running induced cracks along high density polyethylene pipes. Optical fibers were wound in a helical form around each pipe sample. Upon arrival, the propagating crack succesively broke and shortened the fibers; thereby the travel time of a reflected light pulse was reduced. The time dependent lengths of the fibers indicated the position of the edge of the crack. With this method crack speeds in the range of 100 m/s to 200 m/s were measured. The results agree well with those obtained by a conventional method. The fiber optical measurement even allowed to determine the form of the crack path.

Citation Download Citation

Rolf Broennimann, Mehdi Farshad, Philipp M. Nellen, and Urs J. Sennhauser "Measurement of crack propagation in polymer pipes with embedded optical fibers", Proc. SPIE 2509, Smart Structures: Optical Instrumentation and Sensing Systems, (21 September 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.221113

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