Research and development of impact damage detection system for airframe structures using optical fiber sensors

We are now developing an impact damage detection (IDD) system for composite airframe structures. The basic technologies of IDD system were developed and demonstrated using a composite structure with embedded small-diameter optical fiber sensors by Authors in FY2002. IDD system consists of a composite structure with installed optical fiber sensors and a monitoring measurement system. To get the prospect of aircraft application of IDD system is a target of this development. To investigate the durability of embedded optical fibers and composites, cyclic loading test is conducted using composite coupon specimens with embedded small-diameter optical fibers. The evaluation of the system by using composite substructures is also conducted to proceed towards product. This paper presents the development target, our technology, test method, test result and future task.