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Distributed temperature sensing (DTS) can identify locations and factors of seepage in embankments. Inspired by the classical transient hot-wire method (THW), the focus of this paper is to investigate the feasibility and propose a calibrated method of seepage velocity monitoring using the optical fiber DTS.

According to the definition and the measurement of thermal conductivity, the nominal thermal conductivity, which comprehensively reflects the influence of heat transfer and seepage factors, is proposed and the corresponding solution is also derived. Then, a flume testing platform of an embankment seepage monitoring system composed of the optical fiber heat-up subsystem, the seepage controlling subsystem and the optical fiber DTS subsystem is designed and built. Meanwhile, the data processing and assistant analysis subsystem (DPAAS) is also developed to effectively acquire the experimental data of concerned locations and obtain the corresponding nominal thermal conductivity under various seepage conditions. Based on these setups, a series of laboratory flume experiments are carried out under controlled velocities and heating powers.

The plots of recorded temperature rise versus natural logarithm of time allow the calculation of nominal thermal conductivities, and then the seepage velocity monitoring model particular to the experimental setup is successfully established with satisfactory precision.

Considering the complexity of water flow in embankments, a seepage flume that matches the natural system, allowing for larger experimental model scales, various water temperatures, various engineering materials and a wider range of seepage velocities, should be investigated in future.

The combined THW and DTS method provides promising potential in real-time seepage monitoring of embankment dams with the help of the developed DPAAS.

In this work, we performed a flume testing of seepage velocity monitoring platform using optical fiber distributed-temperature sensing for embankments based on the transient hot-wire method. Through the testing of data, the seepage velocity monitoring model particular to the experimental setup was established. The results presented here are very encouraging and demonstrate that the DTS system can be used to monitor the temperature and the seepage factors in field applications.

Seepage of the dam is an important safety problem, which may cause internal erosion of the structure. In the field of seepage monitoring in civil engineering, the distributed optical fiber sensing technology based on the temperature tracing method has been paid more attention due to its unique advantages of high sensitivity, good stability and high resolution. The purpose of this paper is to make a review of the existing related research, so as to facilitate the later scholars to understand and further study more systematically.

In this paper, three kinds of commonly used distributed fiber temperature measurement technologies are introduced. Based on the working principle, monitoring system, theoretical analysis, experimental research and engineering application of the fiber seepage monitoring technology, the present situation of dam seepage monitoring based on distributed fiber is reviewed in detail and their advantages and disadvantages are compared.

The thermal monitoring technology of seepage measurement depends on the accuracy of optical fiber temperature measurement (including the accuracy of the system and the rationality of the discrimination method), the correct installation of optical fiber and the quantitative analysis of temperature data. The accuracy of the current monitoring system can basically meet the existing measurement requirements, but the correct installation of optical fiber and the calibration of temperature data need to be further studied for different discrimination methods, and this field has great research value.

At present, there are many applications and research studies of optical fiber sensing in the field of structural health monitoring, and there are also reviews of related aspects. However, there is little or no review only in the field of seepage monitoring. This paper summarizes the research and application of optical fiber sensing in the field of seepage monitoring. The possibility of the gradient method to find its new prospect with the development of monitoring systems and the improvement of temperature resolution is discussed. The idea of extending the seepage monitoring method based on distributed optical fiber thermal monitoring technology to other monitoring fields is also given in the paper.

Since the introduction of the fibre optic distributed temperature system by York in 1986, the system has been successfully applied in a number of areas. The monitoring of hot‐spots in large power transformers and electricity cables to the analysis of the curing process in large concrete structures such as dams are some examples of where the technology is being used and is providing temperature data. Other more imaginative but nevertheless potentially feasible applications range from detecting black ice on roads to the monitoring of volcanic eruptions for the purpose of disaster prevention.

Achievements in guided wave optics have had a great influence on many areas of technology for several years. Fibre optic communication links, sensors for various parameters, recently developed distributed temperature sensors, integrated optical switches, etc. are all applications that are commercially available. The field of analytical chemistry is no exception in this growing technology. In order to compete with well‐established chemical‐sensing instrumentation, optical waveguide chemical sensors (OWCSs) must show all the qualities of such instrumentation. OWCSs combine well‐known features of sensors, based on waveguide optics, with optical methods of chemical analysis and offer advantages over other types of chemical sensor. OWCSs are electrically passive, corrosion‐resistant, can respond to analytes for which other chemical sensors are not available, and referencing can be carried out optically. They allow multicomponent measurements at several wavelengths, have a common technology for fabrication of sensors for different chemical and physical parameters and are easily compatible with telemetry etc. Further, only OWCSs are capable of distributed sensing. However, interference from ambient light, temperature, long‐term instability, relatively slow response time, and limited dynamic range may be a problem for some types of OWCS. These disadvantages can be considerably reduced using various methods.

To examine the range of fibre‐optic sensors available for monitoring the integrity of buildings and civil engineering structures.

Explains the need for structural monitoring and reviews the types of fibre‐optic sensors. Concentrating on elongation and temperature sensing, shows how each technology works, which companies supply the products, and gives an overview of their technical specifications.

Fibre optics are able to provide integrated, single‐point and distributed sensor systems. The fibre is a communication channel as well as a sensor, and in some systems, carries highly multiplexed data over considerable distances to a central monitoring station. The take‐up of this technology in structural sensing is helped by appropriate packaging that assists attachment to buildings. Durability and measurement stability give a continuity of measurement that was not previously possible.

An introduction to the range of sensors applicable to structural monitoring, of general interest to scientists, but particularly to civil and constructional engineers.

Optical fibre multiplexed sensors are used to make measurements at multiple, discrete locations, usually by sending optical signals between each measurement location and a conveniently positioned optical interrogation instrument. It is rapidly becoming practical to construct multiplexed optical fibre sensor arrays based on in‐fibre Bragg gratings. A Bragg grating can be produced in an optical fibre by writing a periodic variation in the refractive index of the fibre’s core along the axis, using ultra‐violet light. Multiplexing applications will appear ranging from the small scale, with only a few sensors, up to very large scales with hundreds of sensors.

There are various temperature measuring systems presented in the literature and on the market today. Over the past number of years a range of luminescent‐based optical fibre sensors have been reported and developed which include fluorescence and optical scattering. These temperature sensors incorporate materials that emit wavelength shifted light when excited by an optical source. The majority of commercially available systems are based on fluorescent properties.Design/methodology/approach – Many published journal articles and conference papers were investigated and existing temperature sensors in the market were examined.Findings – In optical thermometry, the light is used to carry temperature information. In many cases optical fibres are used to transmit and receive this light. Optical fibres are immune to electromagnetic interference and are small in size, which allows them to make very localized measurements. A temperature sensitive material forms a sensor and the subsequent optical data are transmitted via optical fibres to electronic detection systems. Two keys areas were investigated namely fluorescence based temperature sensors and temperature sensors involving optical scattering.Originality/value – An overview of optical fibre temperature sensors based on luminescence is presented. This review provides a summary of optical temperature sensors, old and new which exist in today's world of sensing.

The purpose of this paper is to look at fibreoptic sensing techniques and applications.

The paper provides information on fibreoptic sensing technologies, instrumentation, advantages and applications.

Fibreoptic sensing, especially fibreoptic Bragg gratings, provide a highly effective means of monitoring internal changes in structural and other components that were previously impossible or very difficult to detect. Such systems are now approaching full commercialisation.

The paper provides a useful overview of how fibreoptic sensors work, and the advantages they provide when used in instrumentation applications ranging from compact devices to large and complex structures, where they may be structurally integrated.

The spatial resolution of seepage monitoring methods based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensing technology is limited by the distance between measurement points. Improving the spatial resolution for a given number of measurement points is a prerequisite for popularizing this technology in the seepage monitoring of rockfill dams. The purpose of this paper is to address this problem.

This paper proposes a mobile-distributed seepage monitoring method based on the FBG-hydrothermal cycling seepage monitoring system. In this method, the positions of the measurement points are changed by freely dragging the FBG sensing cluster within the inner tube of a dual-tube structure, consisting of an inner polytetrafluoroethylene tube and outer polyethylene of raised temperature resistance heating tube.

A seepage velocity calibration test was carried out using the improved monitoring system. The results showed that under a constant seepage velocity, the use of the dual-tube structure enables faster cooling, and the cooling rate accelerates with an increase in the diameter of the inner tube. The use of the dual-tube structure can improve the sensitivity of the seepage evaluation index ζ_v to the seepage velocity. When the inner diameter increases, ζ_v becomes more sensitive to the seepage velocity.

A mobile-distributed seepage monitoring method based on FBG sensing technology is proposed in which the FBG sensors are not fixed. Instead, the positions of the measurement points are changed to improve the spatial resolution. Meanwhile, the use of the dual-tube structure in the presented monitoring system can improve its sensitivity.