Mechanisms of signal coupling to optical fiber for FBG sensor detection of Lamb waves

One of the major challenges when using fiber Bragg grating sensors (FBGs) to detect Lamb wave or acoustic emission signals in structures is the low sensitivity of these sensors to surface waves propagating in the structure. The authors have previously demonstrated that remote bonding of the optical fiber away from the FBG can increase the measured signal amplitude. In this paper we investigate the potential mechanisms for this increase through finite element simulations and demonstrate that the shear lag effect through the adhesive is the major source of the signal amplitude difference between the direct and remote bonding cases.