This paper investigates the guided wave sensing using fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors toward applications on composite structures. Embedment of FBG sensors is investigated in this study. The effects of epoxy curing on FBG sensors are investigated, by monitoring the FBG reflective spectrum and the central wavelength (CWL) during the epoxy curing process. The embedment test results show that both the FBG spectrum and CWL are affected by the curing of epoxy. High frequency guided waves measurement is successfully demonstrated by surface bonded FBG sensors on aluminum plates based on the full-width half-maximum principle. The FBG directionality test shows the sensitivity of FBG sensors strongly depend on the incident angle of guided waves to the FBG sensors. The guided wave amplitude measured by FBG sensors decreases monotonically as the incident angle changing from axial direction to normal direction to the FBG sensors. The simulated damage detection also shows the potential of monitoring structural integrity with the FBG sensors and guided waves.
doi: 10.12783/SHM2015/210