Communication Technologies Research Center, Riga Technical University, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia.
Institute of Telecommunications, Riga Technical University, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia.
Sensors (Basel). 2022 Jun 17;22(12):4581. doi: 10.3390/s22124581.
Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) optical sensors are state-of-the-art technology that can be integrated into the road structure, providing real-time traffic-induced strain readings and ensuring the monitoring of the road's structural health. By implementing specific FBG sensors, it is possible to detect each vehicle's axle count and the induced strain changes in the road structure. In this study, FBG sensors are embedded at the top of the 240-mm-thick cement-treated reclaimed asphalt pavement mixture layer of the road (specifically, 25 mm deep within the road). Optical sensors' signal interrogation units are used to measure the strain and temperature and collect data of the road's passing vehicles, starting from passenger cars that have two axles and up to heavy trucks that have six axles. Passenger cars with 2 axles generate a typical (90% events) strain of 0.8-4.1 μm/m, the 2-axle minibus 5.5-8.5 μm/m, 2-3-axle trucks 11-26 μm/m, but 4-6-axle trucks 14-36 μm/m per each axle. A large number of influencing parameters determine the pavement design leading to the great uncertainty in the prediction of the strain at the boundary between the asphalt surface and cement-treated base layers. Real-time strain and temperature measurements help to understand the actual behavior of the pavement structure under an applied load, thus assisting in validating the proposed pavement design.
光纤布拉格光栅（FBG）光学传感器是一种先进的技术，可以集成到道路结构中，提供实时的交通引起的应变读数，并确保道路结构健康的监测。通过实施特定的 FBG 传感器，可以检测到每辆车的轴数和道路结构中引起的应变变化。在这项研究中，FBG 传感器被嵌入到道路 240 毫米厚的水泥处理再生沥青路面混合料层的顶部（具体来说，在道路内部深 25 毫米处）。光学传感器的信号询问单元用于测量应变和温度，并收集道路过往车辆的数据，从有两个轴的乘用车到有六个轴的重型卡车。有两个轴的乘用车产生典型的（90%事件）应变 0.8-4.1μm/m，2 轴小型客车 5.5-8.5μm/m，2-3 轴卡车 11-26μm/m，但每轴 4-6 轴卡车产生 14-36μm/m 的应变。大量的影响参数决定了路面设计，导致预测沥青表面和水泥处理基层之间的应变具有很大的不确定性。实时应变和温度测量有助于了解施加荷载下路面结构的实际行为，从而有助于验证提出的路面设计。
