Abstract
Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBGs) form the basis of a valuable class of sensors that have a number of applications in industry and are formed as a periodic variation in the refractive index of an optical fibre that reflects light at a specific wavelength depending on the strain applied to the fibre – this effect can be related to and then calibrated against the parameter to be measured. A number of different types of sensors have been developed for monitoring sewer structures, detecting strain and potential leaks in sewer pipelines by embedding fibres along the pipeline route and for monitoring the integrity of sewers. The approach is well suited to gravity sewers, where the supply of oxygen can be limited, and the risk of accumulation of toxic and explosive gases is high, this being a hazard to workers and to conventional equipment used in such sewers. Pipelines suffer degradation with time and pipeline bursts and spillages are a potential hazard that will have a negative effect on the environment. This paper will review the design, fabrication, testing and planning for in situ evaluation of several fibre optic sensor systems developed to address the needs of the Australian utility, Sydney Water, for innovative sensor systems that have the capability to be deployed in their network, to ensure that water utilities can mitigate the effect of the ubiquitous microbiologically induced corrosion. Results of current work are presented and future prospects for the technology considered.
Keywords
fibre optic sensors, concrete structures, pipelines, sewer monitoring.
DOI
10.5703/1288284318170
Recommended Citation
Fabian, Matthas; Coote, Joanna; Scott, Richard Harry; Bustamante, Heriberto; Sun, Tong; and Grattan, Kenneth Thomas Victor, "Use Fibre Optic Sensor Systems for Structural Integrity Monitoring in Ageing Sewer Concrete Structures and Pipelines" (2025). International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures. 2.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/icdcs/2025/mccarter/2
Use Fibre Optic Sensor Systems for Structural Integrity Monitoring in Ageing Sewer Concrete Structures and Pipelines
Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBGs) form the basis of a valuable class of sensors that have a number of applications in industry and are formed as a periodic variation in the refractive index of an optical fibre that reflects light at a specific wavelength depending on the strain applied to the fibre – this effect can be related to and then calibrated against the parameter to be measured. A number of different types of sensors have been developed for monitoring sewer structures, detecting strain and potential leaks in sewer pipelines by embedding fibres along the pipeline route and for monitoring the integrity of sewers. The approach is well suited to gravity sewers, where the supply of oxygen can be limited, and the risk of accumulation of toxic and explosive gases is high, this being a hazard to workers and to conventional equipment used in such sewers. Pipelines suffer degradation with time and pipeline bursts and spillages are a potential hazard that will have a negative effect on the environment. This paper will review the design, fabrication, testing and planning for in situ evaluation of several fibre optic sensor systems developed to address the needs of the Australian utility, Sydney Water, for innovative sensor systems that have the capability to be deployed in their network, to ensure that water utilities can mitigate the effect of the ubiquitous microbiologically induced corrosion. Results of current work are presented and future prospects for the technology considered.
