Low-velocity impact localization on aircraft wing structure using fiber Bragg grating sensor

Abstract

Low-speed impact localization on aircraft wing structure using a fiber Bragg grating was performed. The composite wing structure of light weight aircraft was selected as the target structure for low-speed impact localization. Six multiplexed fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors were embedded into the composite wing structures along the leading edge during the fabrication process. Embedded FBG sensors were connected to an on-board high-speed interrogator, and impact signals were acquired at a sampling rate of 20 kHz. Reference database impact localization was performed, and a normalized cross-correlation method was used for comparing the reference impact signals with random impact signal. Reference impact signals were acquired at intervals of 50mm along the leading edge of the composite wing structure for the 2700mm area. A total of 15 verification tests was conducted, and localized with an average error of 20.14 mm and a maximum error of 43.72mm. Impact localization using a single FBG sensor was also investigated, and results revealed that the impact localization algorithm could successfully localize random impacts.