Surface application of distributed fiber optic sensors for bridge monitoring

Concerning the ageing infrastructure and the lack of capacities for repairs and new constructions, it is necessary at present and in the future to develop methods to extend the service life of infrastructure structures with design and structural deficits. One approach is to use monitoring systems for condition monitoring of the structure and early damage detection. Further developments in distributed fiber optics show the possibility of monitoring bridge structures up to the entire span. For this purpose, surface applications for the use of distributed fiber optics as permanent monitoring for crack detection and monitoring on existing bridges in solid construction were investigated at the University of Stuttgart in cooperation with the engineering office Schomig-Plan, Kleinostheim/Stuttgart. The application was installed and examined in field tests under practical boundary conditions.