The performance of embedded fiber Bragg grating sensors for monitoring failure modes of foam cored sandwich structures under flexural loads

In this study, failure modes of foam core sandwich composites are investigated by using embedded Fiber Bragg Grating sensors. Sandwich specimens with Fiber Bragg Grating sensors, embedded inside the face sheet, are manufactured using vacuum infusion process and then subjected to a static and a cyclic loading under the three-point bending mode. Different failure modes are monitored utilizing the wavelength shift and the spectrum of Fiber Bragg Grating sensors. It is shown that the responses of the Fiber Bragg Grating sensor differ depending on damage modes thereby making structural health monitoring of sandwich structures possible.