International Journal

on Marine Navigation

and Safety of Sea Transportation

Volume 6

Number 2

June 2012

223

1 INTRODUCTION

In this paper authors presents examples of FBG (Fi-

bre Bragg Grating) sensors applications in the SHM

(Structural Health Monitoring) technology for ma-

rine structures. The idea of the SHM is to build a

system that contains many sensors and is able to

evaluate the structure condition. One of the most

promising sensors are those based on FO technolo-

gy, especially FBG sensors. The first structure on

which the FBG sensors were mounted assigned to

measure strain and temperature was Beddington

Trail Bridge – Calgary (Canada) described by

Measures et al. 1993. In the following sections, the

authors describe applications of this enabling tech-

nology to SHM of marine structures like Horyzont II

ship and offshore structure model.

Because of their advantages like, high corrosion

resistance, immune to electromagnetic interference

and multiplexing capabilities, FBG sensors can work

properly in the harsh marine environment for many

years (up to 20) (Lee 2003) and are very interesting

for SHM systems. Application of SHM techniques

allows one to increase both human and environmen-

tal safety in marine industry with simultaneous re-

duction of maintenance costs.

1.1 FBG sensors

A Bragg grating is a permanent periodic modulation

of the refractive index in the core of a single mode

optical fibre by exposing the core of the optical fibre

to an interference pattern of intense UV-laser light

(Bass et al. 2001). The length of the FBG sensor is

in the range 1-25 mm and depends on the applica-

tion. This periodic perturbation in the core index of

refraction allows coherent scattering to occur for

narrow wavelength band of the incident light travel-

ling within the fibre core. A strong narrowband back

reflection of light is generated, centred around the

maximum reflecting wavelength value λ

, when the

resonance condition is satisfied:

=2n

eff

Λ (1)

where n

eff

is the effective refractive index and Λ is

the periodicity of the perturbation (Udd 2006). The

schema of FBG sensor is shown in Figure 1. The λ

is dependent upon the geometrical and physical

Investigations of Marine Safety Improvements

by Structural Health Monitoring Systems

L. Murawski, S. Opoka, K. Majewska, M. Mieloszyk & W. Ostachowicz*

Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery PASci, Gdansk, Poland

A. Weintrit

*Gdynia Maritime University, Faculty of Navigation, Gdynia, Poland

ABSTRACT: The paper presents a first approach of the structural health monitoring (SHM) system, dedicat-

ed to marine structures. The considered system is based on the fibre optic (FO) technique with Fibre Bragg

Grating (FBG) sensors. The aim of this research is recognition of possible practical applications of the FO

techniques in selected elements of marine structures. SHM and damage detection techniques have a great im-

portance (economical, human safety and environment protection) in the wide range of marine structures, es-

pecially for ships and offshore platforms. The investigations reported in this paper have shown major poten-

tial of FBG sensors. They are suitable for strain–stress field and load monitoring of the wide range real

structures used in different conditions. The FO sensors technology appears as very attractive in many practical

applications of future SHM systems.

224

properties of both the grating and optical fibre. The

key point of these FBG sensors is their wavelength-

encoded nature, which is an absolute parameter

providing reproducible measurements (Udd 2002).

Figure 1. The schema of a FBG sensor

The FBG sensors are sensitive to both strain and

temperature. Because of the cross sensitivity on

those two parameters in the case of strain measure-

ment additional sensors dedicated to temperature

sensing are needed. The changes in those two pa-

rameters are linearly proportional to changes in

measured wavelength (Udd 2006).

Most of the conventional sensors used in SHM

applications are based on transmission of electric

signals. These sensors are usually not small. They

are local sensors and cannot be easily multiplexed

and embedded in a structure. There is also a problem

with protection against the corrosion processes in

marine environments. Conventional strain gauges

mounted on an offshore platform CB271 were com-

pletely unusable after one year in Bohai Sea, while

the FBG sensors mounted close to them work

properly (Ren et al. 2006). In some cases, the signals

from electric strain gauges could not be discriminat-

ed from noise because of electrical or magnetic in-

terference. On the contrary to strain gauges the FBG

sensors have small size and weight, multiplexing ca-

pabilities and are immune to electromagnetic field

and have high corrosion resistance. They can also be

mounted onto the structure (Ren et al. 2006) or even

embedded (Wang et al. 2001) into material of an el-

ement during its manufacturing. Those advantages

make them to be a very interesting tool in SHM sys-

tems mounted on marine structures especially for

those made from composite materials.

2 MARINE STRUCTURES

Marine structures like marine vessels and offshore

structures surrounded by a harsh marine environ-

ment are exposed to long-term cyclic loadings

comes from continuously acting sea waves and

short-term extreme loads such as severe storms, sea-

quakes or collisions. The marine environment (sea

water) results in fast corrosion, erosion and scour

processes. Those phenomena increase the size of ex-

isting damage and also initiate its growth. Any dam-

age of marine structure can results in ecologic catas-

trophe because of the oil which is extracted by

offshore platforms or fuel in marine vessels. Another

important point for using SHM systems is increasing

the safety level for people working on marine struc-

tures.

Nowadays the newly designed structures are de-

signed using FEM (Finite Element Method). The

next step are the sea trials for a prototype. The de-

signers are interested with strain and temperature

distribution over the structure. At the designer level

those information can be then utilized for optimiza-

tion of the structure like it was in the case of Fast

Patrol Boat HnoMS Skjold (Wang et al. 2001).

The SHM systems can be also used on marine

structures during they exploitation. Nowadays de-

veloped SHM systems for marine vessels are espe-

cially designed for ships hulls monitoring. Such sys-

tems based on FBG sensors exist for example on

Fast Patrol Boat HnoMS Skjold (Wang et al. 2001),

minecountermeasure vessel HnoMS Otra

(Torkildsen 2005).

2.1 Marine vessels

SHM systems based on FBG sensors can by per-

formed for both prototypes (Wang et al. 2001) and

serial production vessels (Torkildsen et al. 2005).

Those systems are especially used for ship hull mon-

itoring. The FFI (Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt,

Norwegian Defence Research Establishment) has

been involved in the development of a SHM system

based on FBG sensors since 1995 (Torkildsen et al.

2005). In 1999 the first system CHESS (Composite

Hull Embedded Sensor System) was installed on a

prototype HnoMS Skjold of the Skjold class Fast Pa-

trol Boat in the purpose of SHM of composite hull

and collecting information about its real loading

achieving under normal work (Wang et al. 2001).

Nowadays there is the extended SHM system for

hull monitoring developed by FFI that contains dif-

ferent kind of sensors for measuring air pressure,

profile of meeting wave, weight distribution and

GPS for determination the speed and position of the

ship (Figure 2) (Torkildsen et al. 2005).

The idea use FBG sensors is to monitor static and

dynamic strains at critical positions of the hull. The

sensors should be located for measurements of glob-

al moments and forces acting on the hull (Torkildsen

et al. 2005).

The purpose of using SHM system for ship hull

monitoring is verification of model results, condi-

tion-based maintenance to reduce cost and non-

operative periods, damage detection and evaluation

225

of residual hull strength. An extended SHM system

will also include monitoring and recording of the

ship motion, operating parameters and sea waves pa-

rameters (Torkildsen et al. 2005). The results are

presented to the crew on the bridge, in the machine

control room, and operational rooms (Torkildsen et

al. 2005). Alarms are activated when the hull loads

approach the ship design limits (Torkildsen et al.

2005).

The advantages of systems based on FBG sensors

are especially visible for implementation of new ma-

terials and construction designs. Because of the ad-

vantages of composite materials like, a high

strength-to-weight ratio, good impact properties and

low infrared, magnetic and radar cross-sectional sig-

natures, design versatility (Mouitz et al. 2001) now-

adays there is a wide range of naval structures being

developed using FRP (fibre reinforced polymer)

(Rao 1999). This development is driven by the need

to enhance the operational performance (e.g. in-

creased range, stealth, stability, payload) but at the

same time reduce the ownership cost (e.g. reduced

maintenance, fuel consumption costs) marine vessels

(Mouitz et al. 2001).

Figure 2. Overview of environmental and operational sensors

on HnmMS Otra (based on Torkildsen et al. 2005)

Composite materials have been used for the con-

struction of naval patrol boats since the early 1960s.

The first all-GFRP patrol boats were built for the US

Navy and were used during the Vietnam War. Now-

adays the largest all-composite naval patrol boat is

Norwegian HnoMS Skjold of the Skjold class Fast

Patrol Boat (Mouitz et al. 2001). The boat was built

in 1999 (Wang et al. 2001). HnoMS Skiold is a

twin-hull SES (Surface Effect Ship) made of fibre re-

inforced polymer composites sandwich panels

(Wang et al. 2001, Mouitz et al. 2001). The boat is

47 m long, 13.5 m wide and its weight is about 270

tons. A SES is a principle based on a catamaran hull

where lift fans blow air into an air cushion trapped

between the hulls. HnoMS Skjold was designed for

high speed – for example 45 knots at sea state 3

(Wang et al. 2001).

On a prototype HnoMS Skjold a system CHESS

was installed in the purpose of SHM of composite

hull of the boat and collecting information about its

real loading achieving under normal work. The pro-

ject was a join between the US Naval Research La-

boratory, Washington, DC and the Norwegian De-

fence Research establishment. The most important

application of the system was verification of as-

sumed balances the weight optimization and struc-

tural strength requirements of the composite hull

(Wang et al. 2001).

The first step during SHM system design was

created a FEM model allowing for define

strain/stress field in the hull loaded by sea waves

during different sea states. Calculated strain/stress

fields were used for determine a localisation of FBG

sensors embedded into composite hull (Wang et al.

2001). The chosen locations (Figure 3) allowed for

analysis the most significant wave loads like: verti-

cal bending (hogging/sagging), horizontal bending,

torsion (twisting moments), vertical shear force and

longitudinal compression force (Wang et al. 2001).

Figure 3. Schema of the location of FBG sensors on HNoMS

Skjold (based on Wang et al. 2001))

The systematic sea-keeping tests using the

CHESS system on HnoMS Skjold were performed

in May to June. Registered dates were collected dur-

ing sailing thought the sea and routine operations

with the vessel. There were mounted few conven-

tional strain gauge in the purpose of verification of

strain measured by an array of 56 FBG sensors. The

agreement between those two methods was good,

but data from strain gauge were disturbed by elec-

tromagnetic field influence. Basing on the data from

the SHM system important changes in HnoMS

Skjold boat design were performed (Wang et al.

2001).

2.2 Offshore platforms

Offshore structures surrounded by a harsh marine

environment are exposed to long-term levels higher

of cyclic loadings comes from continuously acting

sea waves, accumulating of floating ice shocks, and

short-term extreme loads such as severe storms, sea-

quakes and accidental collisions. Additionally they

are exposed to corrosion, erosion and scour. Those

phenomena increase size of existing damages (Ren

et al. 2001, Sun et al. 2007).

226

Because of existence of thermal errors, large zero

drifts, non repeatable readings, difficult signal con-

ditioning and high susceptibility to moisture and cor-

rosion influence of sea (cauterization of sea), electri-

cal sensors are restricted in the offshore platform

application. Those disadvantages do not occur for

FBG sensors (Ren et al. 2001, Sun et al. 2007).

Bohai Ocean Oil Field is one of main ocean oil

fields in China. There is very heavy ice force in win-

ter which become the main environmental force of

offshore platforms. In 1969 and 1977 two platforms

collapsed by heavy ice force action. Since 1980’s,

the ice conditions, ice pressure on and response of

platforms in Bohai ocean have being monitored un-

der support of China Ocean Oil Company (Ou et al.

2004).

One of the SHM systems was installed on CB32A

steel jacket platform in Bohai under the project sup-

ported by the National Hi-tech Research and Devel-

opment Program of China. The Platform with jacket

height 24.7m will be built in 2003 and located in wa-

ter depth 18.2m. The system includes 259 FBG sen-

sors, 178 polivinylidene fluoride sensors, 56 fatigue

life meters, 16 acceleration sensors and a set of envi-

ronmental condition monitoring system (Ou et al.

2004).

Sun at al. 2007 built a model of an offshore plat-

form CB32A in the scale 1:14. The model consisted

of steel pipes is 2.69 m tall, 1.55 m long and 1.5 m

wide. There are (Figure 4) 7 FBG strain sensors, two

accelerometers and one temperature compensation

FBG sensor installed on the structure. A recording,

storage and interrogation system was put in the of-

fice occurred about 100 m from the model. This was

in the purpose of investigating the ability of making

measurements using a long distance system (Sun et

al. 2007).

One of the investigated dynamic loading was

Tianjin wave which is a kind of seismic wave meas-

ured for the first time in the base of Tianjin hospital

in Tangshan in China and named from the place of

the first appearance. Tendency of responses from

two types of sensors (the FBG strain sensors and

electrical strain gauge) were the same and maximal

values of measured parameter were close to each

other. The level of a disturbances was about 10 µε

and only 1 µε for strain gauge and FBG sensors, re-

spectively. In the compare with strain gauges, FBG

sensors showed its particular feature which is insen-

sitivity on influence of electromagnetic field and

high ability of dynamic strain measurements in sys-

tems with low vibration frequencies (Sun et al.

2007).

Figure 4. Location of FBG sensors on offshore platform model:

1# – 7# – strain sensors, 8#, 9# – accelerometers, 10# –

temperature compensation sensor (based on Sun et al. 2007)

FBG strain and temperature sensors were imple-

mented into SHM system on steel CB271 offshore

platform located in the Bohai Sea, of East China.

A FBG sensors rosette was located on the bottom

side of a middle support. Temperature compensation

FBG sensor was located close to it. The FBG sen-

sors were covered by epoxy layer in the purpose of

protect under destructive influence of environment.

This system correctly monitor on line responses of

the structure (its strain) under loading of sea waves

and waves generated by several hundred-tone ships

sailing close to the platform (Ren et al. 2006).

The state of the FBG sensors array was checked

one year later. They were working as good as in the

moment they had been mounted. No significantly

decrease of the sensitivity was observed. However

electrical strain gauges located close to them were

damaged because of corrosion influence of the sea

water. This allowed the FBG sensors to show its ad-

vantages allowed them to being a part of SHM sys-

tem permanently installed on offshore structure (Ren

et al. 2006).

One of the most dangerous accidents being able

to damage the offshore structure and installation

mounted on it is a collision with a vessel. Because of

this a registration of changes of strain during such

accidents is very important. Such accident was hap-

pened and was observed in sensors measurements on

20 July 2004. There was no dangerous of damage

occurrence because the value of the registered strain

induced by the ship impact was in the linear-

elasticity range of the material. Equally important

like a ship collision is loading from ocean waves.

The level of the strain introduce from strong ocean

wave impaction of the ocean can be closed to those

measured during the ship collision (Ren et al. 2006).

227

3 DAMAGE DETECTION EXPERIMENT

BASED ON MEASURED STRAINS

Certain number of the offshore production platforms

exceeded their working life assumed by design engi-

neers. Growing possibility of the catastrophic failure

should be prevailing for production stop and remov-

al of such objects. On the other hand prolonging the

production beyond working life makes extra finan-

cial profits. In such situation the optimal solution is

to install a SHM system on such structures which

early warns about a structural problem.

Before starting field investigations there is a need

for checking SHM systems on some laboratory-size

models. In the first step a space frame leg model of

typical offshore jack-up rig was constructed and

tested, see Figure 5. The model consists of 3 main

chords which are connected by horizontal and diag-

onal brace elements.

The braces of the structure were covered by 16

FBG strain sensors located at bay level 2 and 7

counting from the bottom. Additionally 6 bare FBG

sensors were glued on each chord. Also 2 FBG ac-

celeration sensors were mounted in the upper part of

the structure.

Figure 5. The leg model of jack-up rig with 1500 kg top mass.

The behaviour of the leg model was analyzed un-

der different conditions. Damage was located at the

bottom part of the model and it was modelled as

chord’s yielding, partial and also entire chord cutting

(with open and closed gap) and cutting of the bottom

K-brace of the leg model. Concurrently different

loading scenarios was taken into account: hammer

impacts to impart free vibrations of the model and

10kN horizontal shaker to induce forced vibrations.

Vibration experiments were done for unloaded leg

model, leg model with added 1500 kg top mass and

the leg model loaded by vertical load up to 500 kN

from hydraulic actuator situated on the floor.

The main aim of the investigations was the identi-

fication of damage influence on readings from sen-

sors glued to different members of the leg model.

In this paper the authors consider here only the

static loads and show the results of 2 selected sen-

sors for one damage scenario i.e. chord’s yielding at

bay level 1, see Figure 6.

Figure 6. Bottom part of chord A after yielding.

The most promising is the fact, that local yielding

can be detected by sensors situated relatively far

from the damage.

228

Figure 7. Strain level increase after local yielding.

Figure 8. Strain level decrease after local yielding.

4 SCHEME OF SHM SYSTEM ON REAL

MARINE STRUCTURE

The authors present a first approach of the SHM sys-

tem, dedicated to marine structures. The considered

system is based on the fibre optic technique, espe-

cially on FBG sensors. The aim of this research is

recognition of possible practical applications of the

fibre optic techniques in selected elements of marine

structures. The authors have been performing initial

investigations on Horyzont II ship. The FBG based

system will be compared with classical measurement

techniques, e.g. piezoelectric accelerometers. The

environmental loading conditions will be also moni-

tored.

Designed SHM system is located on a mast of

Horyzont II ship (see Figure 9). FBG sensors are

placed in the bottom area of the mast (see Figure 10)

where predicted strain-stress level is the highest. The

authors finally planned to use 5 FBG sensors for

strain measurements and one FBG sensor for tem-

perature compensation. Three of FBG strain sensors

are arranged for a strain rosette. So, strain-stress ab-

solute values with main axis directions can be de-

termined with the rosette. One FBG sensor is located

one meter higher than the rosette, just for longitudi-

nal stress distribution determination. Another FBG is

placed on the same highest as previous one, but for

stress level determination in lateral direction. Three

seismic, piezoelectric accelerometers (ACC) are

placed on the navigation deck, close to the mast

foundation. Seismic ACC can record low frequency

movements of the ship in the all directions. Accel-

erometers give us information about environmental

loading, mainly about sea waves excitations. Other

environmental loading, like wind force, temperature,

atmospheric precipitation, will be registered with

other collaborated meteorology system.

The authors worked out methodology of the first

step of the measurements. Determination of the dy-

namic characteristics of the mast is the main target

of those investigations. First of all, zero signals will

be recorded before and after ship’s voyage (in the

harbour). Tests on the open sea will be performed in

two variants: dynamic (100 Hz scan frequency) and

quasi-static (1 Hz scan frequency). The measure-

ments are planned during heavy weaver in Gdansk

Gulf area as well as in the open Baltic Sea.

Figure 9. Location of the SHM system based on FBG sensors

Figure 10. Sensors displacement on the mast

229

5 CONCLUSION

Marine structures are working in corrosion environ-

ment (sea water). Application of SHM techniques al-

lows one to increase both human and environmental

safety in marine industry with simultaneous reduc-

tion of costs. One of the problems which must to be

solved during designing of such system is to find

sensors appropriate sensors which could work

properly through whole life time of the structure.

FBG sensors advantages in compare with conven-

tional strain gauges like immunity to electromagnet-

ic field interference, high corrosion resistance and

multiplexing capabilities make them promising tool

for SHM technologies implementation to marine

structures, like marine vessels and offshore plat-

forms. In the presented examples FBG strain sensors

are used as a part of complex SHM systems imple-

mentation on a fast patrol boat HnoMs Skjold

(Wang et al. 2001), minecountermeasure vessel

HnoMs Otra (Torkildsen et al. 2005) of Norwegian

Navy. Another marine structures are offshore plat-

forms. Ren et al. 2006 showed that only FO sensors

mounted on offshore platform CB271 on Bohai Sea

survived a year of installation of the platform. Strain

gauges in contrast were completely destroyed by

corrosion processes and were unusable for meas-

urements (Ren et al. 2006).

Searching for new constructing solutions and new

materials application in combine with high safety

and ecologic requirements will result in implementa-

tion of SHM systems based on FBG sensors to many

marine structures not only the new designed ones.

FO sensors will be a critical technology in many

aspects of future SHM systems. FBG sensors are

suitable for strain-stress field and load monitoring of

wide range of real-world structures under different

conditions. The results obtained with the FBG sen-

sors show good agreement with the electric strain

gage. Additionally, the FO sensor network has sev-

eral advantages: it does not suffer from zero drift, it

is self-calibrating, it has low mass, it is immune to

electromagnetic interference and it has high multi-

plexing capability. FBG sensors are more reliable in

determination of frequency spectrum of the signal

then classical electrical strain gauge. FBG sensors

are better suited for long-term monitoring systems.

The investigations reported in this paper have

shown big potential of FBG sensors for SHM sys-

tems dedicated for such difficult structure as marine

ships and offshore platform. Structural damage can

be detected on the base of: strain-stress field dynam-

ic characteristics (analytical-empirical self learning

system), loads level and counter identification for

structure uncertainty determination (on the base fa-

tigue), nonlinearities on the base of known load lev-

el, changes of mode shapes and frequencies and

changes of structural damping characteristics.

The FO sensors technology appears as very at-

tractive in many practical applications of future

SHM systems.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research was partially supported by Monitoring

of Technical State of Construction and Evaluation of

Its Life-span (MONIT in polish) project which was

co-financed by the European Regional Development

Fund under the Innovative Economy Operational

Programme.

REFERENCES

Lee, B. 2003 Review of the present status of optical fiber sen-

sors, Opt. Fiber Technol. 9, 57–79.

Rao, Y.J. 1999 Recent progress in applications of in–fibre

Bragg grating sensors, Opt. Lasers Eng. 31, 297–324.

Wang, G., Pran, K., Sagvolden, G., Havsgard, G.B., Jensen,

A.E., Johnson, G.A., Vohra, S.T. 2001 Ship hull structure

monitoring using fibre optic sensors, Smart Mater. Struct.

10, 472–478.

Ren, L., Li, H.N., Zhou, J, Li, D.S., Sun, L. 2006 Health moni-

toring system for offshore platform with fiber Bragg grating

sensors, Opt. Eng. 45, 352–361.

Sun, L., Li, H.N., Ren, L., Jin, Q. 2007 Dynamic response

measurement of offshore platform model by FBG sensors,

Sens. Actuators, A 136, 572–579.

Udd, E. 2002 Fiber optics, theory and applications. In:

Schwartz M, editor. Encyclopedia of smart materials, vol.

1. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.

Udd E. 2006 Fiber Optic Sensors: An Introduction for Engi-

neers and Scientists. John Wiley & Sons, Canada.

Measures, R.M., Alavie, A.T., Maaskant, R., Ohn, M.M. Karr,

S.E. Huang, S.H. Glennie, D.J., Wade C., Guha-Thakurta,

A., Tadros, G., Rizkalla, S. 1993 Multiplexed Bragg grating

laser sensors for civil engineering, Proc. SPIE Conf. on

FOS, Boston, 21-29.

Bass, M., Enoch, J.M., Van Stryland, E.W., Wolfe, W.L. 2001

Handbook of Optics, Volume IV, Fiber Optics And Nonlin-

ear Optics, Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York.

Mouitz, A.P., Gellert, E., Burchill P., Challis, K. 2001 Review

of advanced composite structures for naval ships and sub-

marines, Compos. Struct. 53, 21–41.

Torkildsen, H.E., Grøvlen, A., Skaugen, A., Wang, G., Jensen,

A.E., Pran, K., Sagvolden, G. 2005 Development and Ap-

plications of Full-Scale Ship Hull Health Monitoring Sys-

tems for the Royal Norwegian Navy, Proc. Recent Devel-

opments in Non-Intrusive Measurement Technology for

Military Application on Model- and Full-Scale Vehicles,

Neuilly-sur-Seine, 22-1 – 22-14.

Ou, J., Li, H. 2004 Recent Advances of Structural Health Mon-

itoring in Mainland China, Proc. ANCER, Hawaii, 152-

165.