Sensors 2012, 12(5), 5835-5849; doi:10.3390/s120505835
Article

Calibration and Deployment of a Fiber-Optic Sensing System for Monitoring Debris Flows

Ching-Jer Huang 1,* email, Chung-Ray Chu 1 email, Tsung-Mo Tien 1 email, Hsiao-Yuen Yin 2 email and Ping-Sen Chen 2 email
1 Department of Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No.1 University Road, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan 2 Monitoring and Management Division Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Nantou, 54044, Taiwan
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 15 March 2012; in revised form: 5 April 2012 / Accepted: 9 April 2012 / Published: 7 May 2012
(This article belongs to the Section Physical Sensors)
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Abstract: This work presents a novel fiber-optic sensing system, capable of monitoring debris flows or other natural hazards that produce ground vibrations. The proposed sensing system comprises a demodulator (BraggSCOPE, FS5500), which includes a broadband light source and a data logger, a four-port coupler and four Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) accelerometers. Based on field tests, the performance of the proposed fiber-optic sensing system is compared with that of a conventional sensing system that includes a geophone or a microphone. Following confirmation of the reliability of the proposed sensing system, the fiber-optic sensing systems are deployed along the Ai-Yu-Zi and Chu-Shui Creeks in Nautou County of central Taiwan for monitoring debris flows. Sensitivity test of the deployed fiber-optic sensing system along the creek banks is also performed. Analysis results of the seismic data recorded by the systems reveal in detail the frequency characteristics of the artificially generated ground vibrations. Results of this study demonstrate that the proposed fiber-optic sensing system is highly promising for use in monitoring natural disasters that generate ground vibrations.
Keywords: fiber-optic sensing system; FBG accelerometer; debris flow; ground vibration

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Huang, C.-J.; Chu, C.-R.; Tien, T.-M.; Yin, H.-Y.; Chen, P.-S. Calibration and Deployment of a Fiber-Optic Sensing System for Monitoring Debris Flows. Sensors 2012, 12, 5835-5849.

AMA Style

Huang C-J, Chu C-R, Tien T-M, Yin H-Y, Chen P-S. Calibration and Deployment of a Fiber-Optic Sensing System for Monitoring Debris Flows. Sensors. 2012; 12(5):5835-5849.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Huang, Ching-Jer; Chu, Chung-Ray; Tien, Tsung-Mo; Yin, Hsiao-Yuen; Chen, Ping-Sen. 2012. "Calibration and Deployment of a Fiber-Optic Sensing System for Monitoring Debris Flows." Sensors 12, no. 5: 5835-5849.

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