Flat-cladding fiber Bragg grating sensors for large strain amplitude fatigue tests.

We have successfully developed a flat-cladding fiber Bragg grating sensor for large cyclic strain amplitude tests of up to ± 8,000 με. The increased contact area between the flat-cladding fiber and substrate, together with the application of a new bonding process, has significantly increased the bonding strength. In the push-pull fatigue tests of an aluminum alloy, the plastic strain amplitudes measured by three optical fiber sensors differ only by 0.43% at a cyclic strain amplitude of ± 7,000 με and 1.9% at a cyclic strain amplitude of ± 8,000 με. We also applied the sensor on an extruded magnesium alloy for evaluating the peculiar asymmetric hysteresis loops. The results obtained were in good agreement with those measured from the extensometer, a further validation of the sensor.