Real-time monitoring of railroad track tension using a fiber Bragg grating-based strain sensor

Railway and train security are very important in preventing service disruption and ensuring quality and safe journeys. Conventional gauges are used in laboratory environments for the strain measurement of rails used in railways. However, the use of these electrical sensors is not practical in long-distance railways. Instead, access to long distances is possible with fiber optic sensors. In this study, the strain of 49E1 type rail with R260 hardness and quality was calculated theoretically. These results were compared with an experimentally established fiber Bragg grating system. Moreover, a user-friendly interface was prepared for real-time monitoring of the system. Upon examining the results, the maximum deviation at a rate of 2.5% occurred in the strain measurement in the rail in response to force changes between 0 and 200 kN. A value of approximately 1.38pm/mu epsilon was calculated between the wavelength/strain changes.