Three-Dimensional Shape Estimation of Beam Structure Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

Deflection and deformation occur easily in structures with long length, such as bridges and pipelines. Shape monitoring is required for ensuring their structural health. A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor can be used for monitoring a large-scale structure because of its advantage of multiplexing. In this study, FBG sensors were used for monitoring a composite beam structure, and its strains were measured at multiple points. Thereafter, a shape estimation technique based on the strains was studied. Particularly, a three-dimensional shape estimation technique was proposed for accurate structural health monitoring. A simple experiment was conducted to verify the performance of the shape estimation technique. The result revealed that the estimated shape of the composite beam structure was in agreement with the actual shape obtained after the deformation of the specimen. Additionally, the deflection at a specific point was verified by comparing the estimated and actual deformations measured using a micrometer.