Construction is all about control. Control of movement, deformation and stresses in structures and subsoil. One of the most advanced techniques for doing that is fiber optic monitoring with FBG sensors.
Light as a measuring instrument
When a component of your structure moves or comes under stress, it lets the fiber optics “speak” through light – and we make that visible in numbers and graphs.
Why use fiber optics?
- highly accurate (down to the microstrain level)
- interference-free (insensitive to electromagnetic influences)
- durable and low maintenance
- suitable for long-term and long distances
- completely passive: the sensor itself requires no power
This makes it ideally suited for critical structures such as bridges, sheet piling, tunnels or foundations, as well as for temporary tests or high-risk earthworks.
Applications
- Foundation piles and diaphragm walls: to see at depth how forces are distributed
- Sheet piling and retaining structures: to monitor tensile and bending stresses
- Tunnels, bridges, floor slabs or columns: to monitor load effects or shrinkage
- Dikes, embankments or embankments: to map slow deformations
- Test stands or material testing: as an alternative to classical strain gauges
What is FBG technology?
FBG stands for Fiber Bragg Grating. Minute reflective gratings are built into a thin fiberglass – similar to a hair. Light is transmitted through these gratings. When the fiberglass stretches or compresses, the way the light behaves changes. We measure that change and translate it into stretch or distortion.
The measurement data are automatically transmitted to our online platform, where the project partners can monitor them live. If limit values are exceeded, an alarm is automatically sent to the parties involved.
MEET HET applies three types of fiber optic setups, each with its own strength:
