Optimisation of the coating of a fibre optical sensor embedded in a cross-ply GFRP laminate

Abstract

The effect of the thickness and Young's modulus of the fibre coating on the local stress distributions around an optical fibre sensor embedded in the 0° ply of a cross-ply GFRP laminate has been determined using finite element analysis. Three positions of the sensor were analysed (adjacent to the 0/90 interface, in the middle of the 0° ply or at the laminate surface) and wide ranges of coating modulus (0.045-10 GPa) and coating thickness (5-70 μm) were investigated. The results of the modelling have been validated against closed-form analytical solutions (where available) and are summarised in the form of a design curve showing the optimum combinations of coating thickness and coating modulus for minimum sensor obtrusivity in such laminates. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.