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Figure 2.16: Application fields <strong>an</strong>d market share forecast of distributed fibre optic<br />

sensors (Ecke, 2008)<br />

OFSs have been used widely since they offer numerous adv<strong>an</strong>tages in terms of<br />

low inertia, high speed, immunity to electromagnetic interference, nonelectrical contact<br />

to the sensing region <strong>an</strong>d are intrinsically safe. At least five modulation techniques have<br />

been identified: intensity, phase, frequency, colour <strong>an</strong>d polarisation (Culshaw, 1984).<br />

Under various options of fibre optics, the distributed fibre optic is one OFS that has<br />

been widely accepted <strong>an</strong>d used in the various fields (Ecke, 2008) as referred to in Figure<br />

2.16.<br />

A simple expl<strong>an</strong>ation on how the OFS works c<strong>an</strong> be found in the literature study<br />

by Fixter <strong>an</strong>d Williamson (2006). According to them, OFS <strong>an</strong>d electrical strain gauges<br />

have their own adv<strong>an</strong>tages but the most import<strong>an</strong>t thing is how effective these sensors<br />

c<strong>an</strong> perform in specific applications. Therefore, the following literature highlights the<br />

capability of electrical strain gauges in terms of versatility, accuracy, low cost <strong>an</strong>d<br />

others in various SHM applications.<br />

39

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