Monitoring strain gradients in adhesive composite joints by embedded fiber Bragg grating sensors

The adhesive bonding of composite materials can be applied to assemble light-weight structures for aeronautical applications. However, the application of adhesive bonds in primary load-bearing structures is limited by the lack of adequate techniques to monitor the quality of the joint during service. This work evaluates the feasibility of using Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) arrays to monitor the distribution of strains developed along the bonded...