Health monitoring of composite plastic waterworks lock gates using in-fibre Bragg grating sensors

A new concept of fibre-reinforced composite layered material lock gates has been developed to be used on navigable waterways. To contribute to the validation of the prototype, a permanent optical fibre sensor non-destructive evaluation system was installed. Qualification measurements using both electrical strain gauges and in-fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) demonstrate usability and advantages of FBG sensors as a lifecycle health monitoring system.