Thesis

Optical fibre sensors for monitoring prestressed concrete structures in nuclear power plants

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2013
Thesis identifier
  • T13563
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Abstract
  • Lifetime extensions of nuclear fission reactors in the UK are required to satisfy growing demands for electrical power. Many of these reactors are nearing the end of their original design life, so the continued structural integrity, particularly of the reactors' prestressed concrete pressure vessels and containments is of prime concern. Currently, a lift-off inspection of a 1 % random sample of prestressing tendons is performed at 18 month to 5 year intervals to ensure adequate prestress is present in these structures, but the extended life times are making higher resolution, more frequent and in-depth monitoring techniques more desirable. In this thesis, a method of instrumenting prestressing strands with optical fibre Bragg grating strain sensors is outlined. An all-metal encapsulation and bonding technique is developed to ensure sensor reliability under the radioactive and high-stress environments of fission reactors. This 'smart strand' is complemented by a specially developed interrogation scheme capable of continuously and automatically monitoring static and dynamic nanoscale changes in Bragg grating strain. High-resolution interrogation was achieved by extending an interferrometric demodulation technique into the static measurement regime. By modulating the strain sensitivity using a fast optical switch, strain signals could be recovered independently of noise sources using various signal processing algorithms. The application of this technology could augment the continued monitoring of concrete vessel integrity, reducing both the risks and costs associated with performing lift-off measurements in the current and next generation of nuclear reactors.
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Note
  • This thesis was previously held under moratorium from 20th November and 20th November 2015.
DOI
Date Created
  • 2013
Former identifier
  • 1002075

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