Integration and evaluation of a meander-shaped fibre-optical sensor in a GFRP leaf spring

Fibre-reinforced plastics experience an increasing attention also in the non-aerospace sector. However, the detection of possible internal damage of safety-relevant components remains a challenge. In previous work, a meander-shaped sensor layout with a single fibre-optical sensor was proposed as a particularly efficient and reliable layout and its suitability was demonstrated in coupon tests. In the present work, the approach was transferred to a leaf spring made of glass fibre reinforced plastics and investigated in an extensive test campaign with a realistic test setup. The investigations show the particular suitability of the proposed meander-shaped sensor layout for simultaneous loads monitoring and structural health monitoring.