Disbond growth detection in composite–composite single-lap joints using chirped FBG sensors

Adhesively bonded composite–composite single-lap joints, with cross-ply GFRP adherends, have been cyclically loaded to initiate disbonding at either end of the overlap length. Disbond initiation and growth have been monitored using a combination of in situ photography (the joint is transparent) and a single chirped fibre Bragg grating (CFBG) sensor embedded within one composite adherend (with the low-wavelength end of the sensor adjacent to the cut end) and not in the adhesive bondline. Sensors having the same spectral bandwidth (20 nm) and lengths in the range 15–60 mm have been tested. The experimental results have been modelled using a combination of finite-element analysis and commercial software for predicting FBG spectra, and the predictions are in very good agreement with the experimental results. In all cases, it has been shown that the position of the disbond front can be located using the CFBG sensors with a precision of about 2 mm.