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In this study, the response of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) embedded in cast aluminum parts under thermal and mechanical load were investigated. Several types of FBGs in different types of fibers were used in order to verify general applicability. To monitor a temperature-induced strain, an embedded regenerated FBG (RFBG) in a cast part was placed in a climatic chamber and heated up to 120 ∘ C within several cycles. The results show good agreement with a theoretical model, which consists of a shrink-fit model and temperature-dependent material parameters. Several cast parts with different types of FBGs were machined into tensile test specimens and tensile tests were executed. For the tensile tests, a cyclic procedure was chosen, which allowed us to distinguish between the elastic and plastic deformation of the specimen. An analytical model, which described the elastic part of the tensile test, was introduced and showed good agreement with the measurements. Embedded FBGs - integrated during the casting process - showed under all mechanical and thermal load conditions no hysteresis, a reproducible sensor response, and a high reliable operation, which is very important to create metallic smart structures and packaged fiber optic sensors for harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel technique for strain and temperature decoupling with surface-glued fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) is presented and applied for strain-independent temperature measurements in a temperature range between −30 °C and 110 °C with uncertainties below 4 °C over the entire measurement range. The influence of temperature-dependent glue-induced transversal forces on the fiber sensor could be eliminated with a sensor element consisting of two FBGs in identical polarization-maintaining fibers that were spliced perpendicular to each other. After aligning and gluing the sensor element with its optical axes parallel and perpendicular to the specimen, the averaged Bragg wavelength shifts of both FBGs were proven to be independent of the glue's influence and therefore independent of any change in the material characteristics of the glue, such as aging or creeping behavior. For the first time, this methodology enables temperature measurements with surface-attached bare FBGs independently of arbitrary longitudinal and glue-induced strains. This is of great value for all applications that rely on a fully glued sensor design, e.g., in applications with high electromagnetic fields, on rotating parts, or in vacuum for space applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]