Analysis of a damage sensor based on elastic-plastic metal coatings on optical fibers

Optical-fiber sensors coated with linear work hardening elastic-plastic materials are analytically explored to determine the effects the coating properties have on the sensor performance. The optical-fiber system is analytically subjected to both an axial load and a uniform thermal gradient. The nonlinear analysis reveals a mechanism for designing coatings which provide a memory to the optical-fiber sensor by undergoing permanent deformations in response to large thermal or mechanical strain excursions. This behavior is exploited to design a damage sensor