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Background: Scoping studies are increasingly common for broadly searching the literature on a specific topic, yet researchers lack an agreed-upon definition of and framework for the methodology. In 2005, Arksey and O'Malley offered a methodological framework for conducting scoping studies. In their subsequent work, Levac et al. responded to Arksey and O'Malley's call for advances to their framework. Our paper builds on this collective work to further enhance the methodology. Discussion: This paper begins with a background on what constitutes a scoping study, followed by a discussion about four primary subjects: (1) the types of questions for which Arksey and O'Malley's framework is most appropriate, (2) a contribution to the discussion aimed at enhancing the six steps of Arskey and O'Malley's framework, (3) the strengths and challenges of our experience working with Arksey and O'Malley's framework as a large, inter-professional team, and (4) lessons learned. Our goal in this paper is to add to the discussion encouraged by Arksey and O'Malley to further enhance this methodology. Summary: Performing a scoping study using Arksey and O'Malley's framework was a valuable process for our research team even if how it was useful was unexpected. Based on our experience, we recommend researchers be aware of their expectations for how Arksey and O'Malley's framework might be useful in relation to their research question, and remain flexible to clarify concepts and to revise the research question as the team becomes familiar with the literature. Questions portraying comparisons such as between interventions, programs, or approaches seem to be the most suitable to scoping studies. We also suggest assessing the quality of studies and conducting a trial of the method before fully embarking on the charting process in order to ensure consistency. The benefits of engaging a large, inter-professional team such as ours throughout every stage of Arksey and O'Malley's framework far exceed the challenges and we recommend researchers consider the value of such a team. The strengths include breadth and depth of knowledge each team member brings to the study and time efficiencies. In our experience, the most significant challenges presented to our team were those related to consensus and resource limitations. Effective communication is key to the success of a large group. We propose that by clarifying the framework, the purposes of scoping studies are attainable and the definition is enriched.

Optical fiber sensors for monitoring of structures (OSMOS) is a European collaborative research project which has, over the past three years, embraced a number of technological issues related to the problem of structural monitoring in the civil engineering and aerospace industries. A key technical objective of the program was the measurement of temperature and strain using a single sensor length. A laboratory prototype using the differential sensitivities of polarimeters based on the fundamental, LP01 mode and the first higher order LP11 mode of polarization maintaining fiber demonstrated parameter recovery to within 2 C and 5 (mu) (epsilon) . A receiver enabling quasi-distributed measurements to be made with a linear spatial resolution of 70 cm using white light polarimetry was assembled. White light polarimetry was also used in conjunction with pressure sensitive fiber to detect impact damage on a composite radome structure. Impacts of 5 Joules in magnitude were detected with a spatial resolution of around 1 cm. Microwave radio frequency subcarrier measurement techniques were used to develop the engineering processes necessary to integrate optical sensors into civil engineering structures for simulated applications trials. This enabled issues such as stress transfer, mechanical bonding and sensor protection to be addressed. For the aerospace industry, embedding of optical fiber sensors remains an important issue. Here we developed techniques for embedding connectorized fibers such that the component could be machine finished after curing, an important feature of the manufacturing process.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

This paper details the progress made towards the realization of a robust and user friendly system designed to damp vibration in composite structures. The system relies on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) strain sensors linked to PZT actuators through a simple feedback signal inversion algorithm. The PVDF is coated to reduce charge leakage and the PZT ceramics are encapsulated to provide easy to handle, robust actuators that do not electrically short in CFRP based composites. Details of the system design are presented along with initial results showing vibration control of multimoded CFRP cantilevers.

A technique based upon the differential sensitivities of dual mode and polarimetric sensing schemes is shown to be capable of resolving simultaneously temperature and strain variations to within 20 micro-epsilon and 1 K over a strain and temperature excursion of 2 micro-epsilon and 45 K. The technique is evaluated experimentally over an 80 cm sensing length of unembedded optical fiber and in an 8 ply unidirectional carbon/epoxide laminate subject to temperature and strain cycling. A comparative analysis of the performance of the embedded and the unembedded fiber sensors is presented.

A programme of mechanical testing has been carried out to determine the effect of a variety of embedded optical fibres on the properties of carbon/epoxide composite systems. The properties of interest were longitudinal and transverse tension, longitudinal compression, inter- laminar and in-plane shear. The variables investigated included the diameter of the silica cladding and the thickness and type of jacketing material. It was found that both the polyimide and acrylate coated fibres with diameters of approximately 100 micrometers had little adverse effect on the mechanical properties of any of the composites, except in longitudinal compression where up to 26% reduction in strength was seen in some systems.

A collaborative European Programme N degree(s) RI 1B 0173-C(CD) under the auspices of BRITE (Basic Research in Industrial Technologies for Europe), jointly sponsored by the Commission of the European Communities and European Industry, was launched in 1988 to explore and develop an optical sensor network embedded in composite for measuring the strain and temperature distributions. Its objectives and first results were presented at the `Fiber Optic Smart Structures and Skins II' conference (Sept. 1989, Boston). This paper will describe the work and the main results which have been obtained since then. Three main areas have been covered which have concerned the implementation of a coherence based parallel quasi- distributed sensing system, the simultaneous measurement of temperature and strain and the mechanical properties of composite material with embedded sensor. All results have shown the high interest of such an optical sensing network for structure monitoring.