Micromechanical analysis of thick composites with embedded optical fibers

This paper addresses the micro-mechanical issues associated with embedding optical fiber sensors in a thick composite material. An optical fiber embedded in a thick composite creates a perturbation in the micro-structure of the composite, which in turn alters the strain state of composite in the region surrounding the optical fiber. Moire Interferometry combined with Fourier transform based digital fringe processing is used to measure and analyze the displacement field in the composite material.