Crack growth measurement network with primary and shunt optical fibers

Year	Description
1990	Invention patented by Kausar Talat and Gary J. Biando on September 18th, 1990. Abstract: A fiber optic crack propagation measurement apparatus including an input optical fiber for receiving light energy and an output optical fiber connected to deliver light energy to a detector is disclosed. A plurality of shunt optical fibers are connected in parallel between the input and output optical fibers. The input optical fibers, output optical fibers and shunt optical fibers are secured to a structure in which stresses are expected to cause the advancement of a crack. As the crack grows, individual shunt fibers are broken, reducing the amount of light energy delivered to the detector. Detector signals are generated indicative of the light energy received thereby to report the advancement of the crack. In one embodiment, wavelength division multiplexing techniques are employed so that multiple crack measuring units can be monitored over a single monitoring optical fiber.
Source: selected by the editor from original sources.

Invention: Crack growth measurement network with primary and shunt optical fibers