Fiber optic sensors for seismic monitoring

Abstract

Damage in civil structures due to earthquakes is a serious problem. New approaches in active damping of earthquake induced structural vibrations can mitigate this problem if sufficient warning time is given for an impending earthquake. A number of approaches have been implemented in seismic sensing technology to provide this warning. Seismic sensing is also critical in detecting and characterizing underground nuclear tests. Most approaches employ either a single point sensor or an array of such sensors. In this paper, we explore the possibility of using very long gauge length fiber optic sensing technology to create very high sensitivity seismic sensors that have the ability to focus on particular fault regions or nuclear test sites through the use of particular spatial antenna configurations. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.