POF based smart sensor for studying the setting dynamics of cement paste

Fiber optic smart sensors are used to monitor the civil structures. One of the important parameters in civil engineering is the setting characteristics of concrete made of cement. The paper discusses how a simple polymer optical fiber can be used to characterise the setting dynamics of various grades of cement. The results explain the comparative performance of polymer fiber over silica fiber. The basic principle underlying the sensor is that as the cement sets, it exerts a stress on the sensing fiber, which is laid within the cement paste. This stress induces strain on the optical fiber, which can be thought of as a series of aperiodic microbends on the surface of the fiber. This in turn changes the characteristics of the light signal transmitted through the fiber and can be viewed as stress induced modulation of light in the fiber. By monitoring the intensity variation of transmitted light signal with time we can determine the cement setting rate. This can be used as an effective tool for quality testing of commercially available cements of different grades