Design and application of a fiber Bragg grating strain sensor with enhanced sensitivity in the small-scale dam model

Accurate measurement of strain variation and effective prediction of failure within models have been major objectives for strain sensors in dam model tests. In this paper, a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensor with enhanced strain sensitivity that is packaged by two gripper tubes is presented and applied in the seismic tests of a small-scale dam model. This paper discusses the principle of enhanced sensitivity of the FBG strain sensor. Calibration experiments and reliability tests were conducted to evaluate the sensor's strain transferring characteristics on plates of different material. This paper also investigates the applicability of the FBG strain sensors in seismic tests of a dam model by conducting a comparison between the test measurements of FBG sensors and analytical predictions, monitoring the failure progress and predicting the cracking inside the dam model. Results of the dam model tests prove that the FBG strain sensor has the advantages of small size, high precision, and embeddability. It has a promising potential in the cracking and failure monitoring and identification of the dam model.