We aimed to embed silica optical fibers in composites (epoxy vinyl ester matrix reinforced with E-glass unidirectional fibers in mass fraction of 60%) in order to further monitor the robustness of civil engineering structures (such as bridges). A simple system was implemented using two different silica optical fibers (F1—double coating of 172 μm diameter and F2—single coating of 101.8 μm diameter respectively). The optical fibers were dynamically tensile tested and Weibull plots were traced. Interfacial adhesion stress was determined using pull-out test and stress values were correlated to fracture mechanisms based on SEM observations. In the case of the optical fiber (OF) (F1)/resin system and OF (F1)/composite system, poor adhesion was reported that may be correlated to interface fracture at silica core level. Relevant applicable results were determined for OF (F2)/composite system.
References
[1]
Davidson, R.; Roberts, S. Optical Fiber Sensor Compatibility and Integration in Composite Materials. In Comprehensive Composite Materials; Elsevier: Amsterdam, the Netherland, 2000; Volume 5, pp. 591–606.
[2]
Berghmans, F.B. Reliability of optical fibers and components. SPIE Proc？2005, 5855, 20–23.
[3]
Wang, C.H.; Soufiane, A.; Majid, I.; Wei, K.; Drenzek, G. High reliability hermetic optical fiber for oil and gas application. SPIE Proc？2005, 5855, doi:10.1117/12.624261.
Takeda, N. Structural health monitoring for smart composite structures systems in Japan. Ann. Chim. Sci. Mater？2000, 25, 545–549, doi:10.1016/S0151-9107(01)80008-8.
[6]
Takeda, N. Characterization of microscopic damage in composite laminates and real-time monitoring by embedded optical fiber sensors. Int. J. Fatigue？2002, 24, 281–289, doi:10.1016/S0142-1123(01)00083-4.
Bettini, P.; di Landro, L.; Airoldi, A.; Baldi, A.; Sala, G. Characterization of the interface between composites and embedded fiber optic sensors or NiTiNOL wires. Procedia Eng？2011, 10, 3490–3496, doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.04.575.
[9]
Gray, R.J. Analysis of the effect of embedded fiber length on fiber debonding and pull-out from an elastic matrix. J. Mater. Sci？1984, 19, 861–870, doi:10.1007/BF00540456.
[10]
DiFrancia, C.; Ward, T.C.; Claus, R.O. The single-fibre pull-out test, 1: Review and interpretation. Compos. Part Appl. Sci. Manuf？1996, 27, 597–612, doi:10.1016/1359-835X(95)00069-E.
[11]
Poulain, M.; El Abdi, R.; Severin, I. Aging and Reliability of Single Mode Silica Optical Fibers. In Optical Fibers Research Advances; Schlesinger, J.C., Ed.; Nova Publishers: Hauppauge, NY, USA, 2007; pp. 355–368.
[12]
Kukureka, S.N.; Cairns, D.R. Statistical analysis for strength distributions in optical fibres. SPIE Proc？1999, 3848, 17–27.
[13]
Kukureka, S.N.; Cairns, D.R. Comparison of the distribution of estimated weibull parameters from optical fiber strength measurements and monte carlo simulations. SPIE Proc？2001, 4215, 90–97.
[14]
Mirer, T.; Ingman, D.; Zeifman, M. Non-equilibrum physical systems approach to modeling evolution of optical fiber reliability. Phys. Lett？2007, 365, 181–186, doi:10.1016/j.physleta.2006.12.083.
[15]
Felcher, G.P.; Karim, A.; Russell, T.P. Interdiffusion at the interface of polymeric bilayers: Evidence for reptation. J. Non-Cryst. Solids？1991, 131–133, 703–708.
[16]
Bucknall, D.G.; Higgins, J.S.; Butler, S.A. Early stages of oligomer–polymer diffusion. Chem. Eng. Sci？2001, 56, 5473–5483, doi:10.1016/S0009-2509(01)00171-3.
[17]
Chean, V.; Matadi Boumbimba, R.; El Abdi, R.; Sangleboeuf, J.C.; Casari, P.; Drissi Habti, M. Experimental characterization of interfacial adhesion of an optical fiber embedded in a composite material. Int. J. Adhes. Adhes？2013, 41, 144–151, doi:10.1016/j.ijadhadh.2012.11.006.
