Search Results (500)

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is an emerging technology in the maritime domain, enabling the use of existing fiber optic cables to detect acoustic signals in the marine environment. In this study, we present an automated signal detection and classification framework for DAS data that supports near-real-time processing. Using data from the SHEFA-2 cable between the Faroe and Shetland Islands, we develop a method to identify acoustic signals and generate both labeled and unlabeled datasets based on their spectral characteristics. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to explore separability in the labeled data, and Hierarchical Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (HDBSCAN) is applied to classify unlabeled data. Experimental validation using clustering metrics shows that with the full dataset, we can achieve a Davies–Bouldin Index of 0.828, a Silhouette Score of 0.124, and a Calinski–Harabasz Index of 189.8. The clustering quality degrades significantly when more than 20% of the labeled data is excluded, highlighting the importance of maintaining sufficient labeled samples for robust classification. Our results demonstrate the potential to distinguish between signal sources such as ships, vehicles, earthquakes, and possible cable damage, offering valuable insights for maritime monitoring and security. Full article

With accelerating urbanization and the exponential growth in vehicle populations, high-precision traffic monitoring has become indispensable for intelligent transportation systems (ITSs). Conventional sensing technologies—including inductive loops, cameras, and radar—suffer from inherent limitations: restrictive spatial coverage, prohibitive installation costs, and vulnerability to adverse weather. Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), leveraging Rayleigh backscattering to convert standard optical fibers into kilometer-scale, real-time vibration sensor networks, presents a transformative alternative. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the principles and system architecture of DAS for roadway traffic monitoring, with a focus on signal processing techniques, feature extraction methods, and recent advances in vehicle detection, classification, and speed/flow estimation. Special attention is given to the integration of deep learning approaches, which enhance noise suppression and feature recognition under complex, multi-lane traffic conditions. Real-world deployment cases on highways, urban roads, and bridges are analyzed to demonstrate DAS’s practical value. Finally, this paper delineates emerging research trends and technical hurdles, providing actionable insights for the scalable implementation of DAS-enhanced ITS infrastructures. Full article

As an important traffic and transportation roadway, tunnel engineering is widely used in important fields such as highways, railways, water conservancy, subways and mining. It is limited by complex geological conditions, harsh construction environments and poor robustness of the monitoring system. If the construction process and monitoring method are not properly designed, it will often directly induce disasters such as tunnel deformation, collapse, leakage and rockburst. This seriously threatens the safety of tunnel construction and operation and the protection of the regional ecological environment. Therefore, based on distributed fiber optic sensing technology, the full–cycle spatiotemporally continuous sensing information of the tunnel structure is obtained in real time. Accordingly, the health status of the tunnel is dynamically grasped, which is of great significance to ensure the intrinsic safety of the whole life cycle for the tunnel project. Firstly, this manuscript systematically sorts out the development and evolution process of the theory and technology of structural health monitoring in tunnel engineering. The scope of application, advantages and disadvantages of mainstream tunnel engineering monitoring equipment and main optical fiber technology are compared and analyzed from the two dimensions of equipment and technology. This provides a new path for clarifying the key points and difficulties of tunnel engineering monitoring. Secondly, the mechanism of action of four typical optical fiber sensing technologies and their application in tunnel engineering are introduced in detail. On this basis, a spatiotemporal continuous perception method for tunnel engineering based on DFOS is proposed. It provides new ideas for safety monitoring and early warning of tunnel engineering structures throughout the life cycle. Finally, a high–speed rail tunnel in northern China is used as the research object to carry out tunnel structure health monitoring. The dynamic changes in the average strain of the tunnel section measurement points during the pouring and curing period and the backfilling period are compared. The force deformation characteristics of different positions of tunnels in different periods have been mastered. Accordingly, scientific guidance is provided for the dynamic adjustment of tunnel engineering construction plans and disaster emergency prevention and control. At the same time, in view of the development and upgrading of new sensors, large models and support processes, an innovative tunnel engineering monitoring method integrating “acoustic, optical and electromagnetic” model is proposed, combining with various machine learning algorithms to train the long–term monitoring data of tunnel engineering. Based on this, a risk assessment model for potential hazards in tunnel engineering is developed. Thus, the potential and disaster effects of future disasters in tunnel engineering are predicted, and the level of disaster prevention, mitigation and relief of tunnel engineering is continuously improved. Full article

This study focuses on a comprehensive analysis of the common methods for road infrastructure monitoring, as well as the perspective of various fiber-optic sensor (FOS) realization solutions in road monitoring applications. Fiber-optic sensors are a topical technology that ensures multiple advantages such as passive nature, immunity to electromagnetic interference, multiplexing capabilities, high sensitivity, and spatial resolution, as well as remote operation and multiple physical parameter monitoring, hence offering embedment potential within the road pavement structure for needed smart road solutions. The main key factors that affect FOS-based road monitoring scenarios and configurations are analyzed within this review. One such factor is technology used for optical sensing—fiber Bragg grating (FBG), Brillouin, Rayleigh, or Raman-based sensing. A descriptive comparison is made comparing typical sensitivity, spatial resolution, measurement distance, and applications. Technological approaches for monitoring physical parameters, such as strain, temperature, vibration, humidity, and pressure, as a means of assessing road infrastructure integrity and smart application integration, are also evaluated. Another critical aspect concerns spatial positioning, focusing on the point, quasi-distributed, and distributed methodologies. Lastly, the main topical FOS-based application areas are discussed, analyzed, and evaluated. Full article

Ultra-long pool structures used in mine water treatment projects are typical large-volume concrete structures that are highly susceptible to cracking due to the combined effects of cement hydration heat, seasonal temperature variations, and internal water pressure. Such cracking can compromise the durability and long-term service performance of the structure. In this study, distributed fiber optic sensing and finite element analysis were conducted to observe the response of ultra-long pool structures under thermal–load effects. System comparison shows that the average error between the monitored peak thermal strain values and the corresponding simulated values is within 9%. Parametric analysis using the validated simulation model indicates that the hydration protocol with temperatures of 15 °C (casting), 55 °C (peak), and 15 °C (stable), a temperature drop of −20 °C, and loading conditions in sub-pools 3+6 and sub-pools 1+3+5 are the most unfavorable scenarios for inducing tensile stress. When a temperature drop of −20 °C is combined with loading conditions in sub-pools 3+6 or sub-pools 1+3+5, the tensile stress in the pool structure increases by 30% compared to the stress induced by loading alone. This indicates that during the service life of the pool structure, extreme temperature variations combined with mechanical loading may result in localized cracking. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of ultra-long pool behavior during construction and service phases, supporting effective maintenance and long-term durability. Full article

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), which can provide dense spatial and temporal measurements using optical fibers, is quickly becoming critical for large-scale infrastructure monitoring. However, anomaly detection in DAS data is still challenging owing to the spatial correlations between sensing channels and nonlinear temporal dynamics. Recent approaches often disregard the explicit sensor layout and instead handle DAS data as two-dimensional images or flattened sequences, eliminating the spatial topology. This work proposes GraphDiffusion, a novel generative anomaly-detection model that combines a conditional denoising diffusion probabilistic model (DDPM) and a graph neural network (GNN) to overcome these limitations. By treating each channel as a graph node and building edges based on Euclidean proximity, the GNN explicitly models the spatial arrangement of DAS sensors, allowing the network to capture local interchannel dependencies. The conditional DDPM uses iterative denoising to model the temporal dynamics of standard signals, enabling the system to detect deviations without the need for anomalies. The performance evaluations based on real-world DAS datasets reveal that GraphDiffusion achieves 98.2% and 98.0% based on the area under the curve (AUC) of the F1-score at K different levels (F1_K-AUC), an AUC of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) at K different levels (ROC_K-AUC), outperforming other comparative models. Full article

Sensor arrays are arrangements of sensors that follow a certain pattern, usually in a row–column distribution. This study presents a systematic review on sensor arrays. For this purpose, several systematic searches of recent studies covering a period of 10 years were performed. As a result of these searches, 361 papers have been analyzed in detail. The most relevant aspects for sensor array design have been studied. In relation to sensing technologies, different categories were identified: resistive/piezoresistive, capacitive, inductive, diode-based, transistor-based, triboelectric, fiber optic, Hall effect-based, piezoelectric, and bioimpedance-based. Other aspects of sensor array design have also been analyzed: applications, validation experiments, software used for sensor array data analysis, sensor array characteristics, and performance metrics. For each aspect, the studies were classified into different subcategories. As a result of this analysis, different emerging technologies and future research challenges in sensor arrays were identified. Full article

This study investigates the performance of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) for detecting gas pipeline leaks under controlled experimental conditions, using multiple fiber cable types deployed both internally and externally. A 21 m steel pipeline with a 1 m test section was configured to simulate leakage scenarios with varying leak sizes (¼”, ½”, ¾”, and 1”), orientations (top, side, bottom), and flow velocities (2–18 m/s). Experiments were conducted under two installation conditions: a supported pipeline mounted on tripods, and a buried pipeline laid on the ground and covered with sand. Four fiber deployment methods were tested: three internal cables of varying geometries and one externally mounted straight cable. DAS data were analyzed using both time-domain vibration intensity and frequency-domain spectral methods. The results demonstrate that leak detectability is influenced by multiple interacting factors, including flow rate, leak size and orientation, pipeline installation method, and fiber cable type and deployment approach. Internally deployed black and flat cables exhibited higher sensitivity to leak-induced vibrations, particularly at higher flow velocities, larger leak sizes, and for bottom-positioned leaks. The thick internal cable showed limited response due to its wireline-like construction. In contrast, the external straight cable responded selectively, with performance dependent on mechanical coupling. Overall, leakage detectability was reduced in the buried configuration due to damping effects. The novelty of this work lies in the successful detection of gas leaks using internally deployed fiber optic cables, which has not been demonstrated in previous studies. This deployment approach is practical for field applications, particularly for pipelines that cannot be inspected using conventional methods, such as unpiggable pipelines. Full article

Interferometric fiber optic hydrophones (IFOHs) are highly sensitive for underwater acoustic detection but face challenges owing to the trade-off between laser monochromaticity and coherence length. In this study, we propose a pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) phase modulation method for laser coherence length control, establishing the first theoretical model that quantitatively links PRBS parameter to coherence length, elucidating the mechanism underlying its suppression of parasitic interference noise. Furthermore, our research findings demonstrate that while reducing the laser coherence length effectively mitigates parasitic interference noise in IFOHs, this reduction also leads to elevated background noise caused by diminished interference visibility. Consequently, the modulation of coherence length requires a balanced optimization approach that not only suppresses parasitic noise but also minimizes visibility-introduced background noise, thereby determining the system-specific optimal coherence length. Through theoretical modeling and experimental validation, we determined that for IFOH systems with a 500 ns delay, the optimal coherence lengths for link fibers of 3.3 km and 10 km are 0.93 m and 0.78 m, respectively. At the optimal coherence length, the background noise level in the 3.3 km system reaches −84.5 dB (re: rad/√Hz @1 kHz), representing an additional noise suppression of 4.5 dB beyond the original suppression. This study provides a comprehensive theoretical and experimental solution to the long-standing contradiction between high laser monochromaticity, stability and appropriate coherence length, establishing a coherence modulation noise suppression framework for hydrophones, gyroscopes, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), and other fields. Full article

By embedding optical fiber sensors into fiber preforms and utilizing liquid molding processes such as resin transfer molding (RTM), intelligent composite materials with self-sensing capabilities can be fabricated. In the liquid molding process of these intelligent composites, the quality of the final product is highly dependent on the resin flow and impregnation effects. The embedding of optical fibers can affect the microscopic flow and impregnation behavior of the resin; therefore, it is necessary to investigate the specific impact of optical fiber embedding on the resin flow and impregnation of fiber bundles. Due to the difficulty of directly observing this process at the microscopic scale through experiments, numerical simulation has become a key method for studying this issue. This paper focuses on the resin micro-flow in RTM processes for intelligent composites with embedded optical fibers. Firstly, a steady-state analysis of the resin flow and impregnation process was conducted using COMSOL 6.0 obtaining the velocity and pressure field distribution characteristics under different optical fiber embedding conditions. Secondly, the dynamic process of resin flow and impregnation of fiber bundles at the microscopic scale was simulated using Fluent 2022R2. This study comprehensively analyzes the impact of different optical fiber embedding configurations on resin flow and impregnation characteristics, determining the impregnation time and porosity after impregnation under different optical fiber embedding scenarios. Additionally, this study reveals the mechanisms of pore formation and their distribution patterns. The research findings provide important theoretical guidance for optimizing the RTM molding process parameters for intelligent composite materials. Full article

With the expansion of offshore oil and gas resources to deepwater areas, the problem of the vortex-induced vibration of marine risers, as a key structure connecting offshore platforms and subsea wellheads, has become increasingly prominent. At present, there are few reviews on the vortex-induced vibration of flexible risers. This review provides a detailed discussion of vortex-induced vibration in marine risers. This review begins with the engineering background. It then systematically analyzes the key factors that influence VIV response. These factors include the riser’s structural parameters, such as aspect ratio and mass ratio. They also include the external fluid environment. Next, this review evaluates current VIV suppression strategies by analyzing specific experimental results. It compares the effectiveness and trade-offs of passive techniques. It also examines the potential and limitations of active methods, which often use smart materials, like piezoelectrics. This study highlights the major challenges in VIV research today. These challenges relate to prediction accuracy and suppression efficiency. Key problems include model uncertainty at high Reynolds numbers and the practical implementation of suppression devices in engineering systems. Finally, this paper presents an outlook on the future directions. It concludes that an intelligent, full-lifecycle integrity management system is the best path forward. Full article

Understanding the time-lagged response of land subsidence to groundwater level fluctuations and subsurface strain variations is crucial for uncovering its underlying mechanisms and enhancing disaster early warning capabilities. This study focuses on Dangshan County, Anhui Province, China, and systematically analyzes the spatio-temporal evolution of land subsidence from 2018 to 2024. A total of 207 Sentinel-1 SAR images were first processed using the Small Baseline Subset Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-InSAR) technique to generate high-resolution surface deformation time series. Subsequently, the seasonal-trend decomposition using the LOESS (STL) model was applied to extract annual cyclic deformation components from the InSAR-derived time series. To quantitatively assess the delayed response of land subsidence to groundwater level changes and subsurface strain evolution, time-lagged cross-correlation (TLCC) analysis was performed between surface deformation and both groundwater level data and distributed fiber-optic strain measurements within the 5–50 m depth interval. The strain data was collected using a borehole-based automated distributed fiber-optic sensing system. The results indicate that land subsidence is primarily concentrated in the urban core, with annual cyclic amplitudes ranging from 10 to 18 mm and peak values reaching 22 mm. The timing of surface rebound shows spatial variability, typically occurring in mid-February in residential areas and mid-May in agricultural zones. The analysis reveals that surface deformation lags behind groundwater fluctuations by approximately 2 to 3 months, depending on local hydrogeological conditions, while subsurface strain changes generally lead surface subsidence by about 3 months. These findings demonstrate the strong predictive potential of distributed fiber-optic sensing in capturing precursory deformation signals and underscore the importance of integrating InSAR, hydrological, and geotechnical data for advancing the understanding of subsidence mechanisms and improving monitoring and mitigation efforts. Full article

This study focuses on the multiphase flow in horizontal wells based on distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) monitoring. Through laboratory experiments and field data analysis, it was found that the micro-seismic differences in flow patterns can be clearly observed in the fiber optic micro-seismic waterfall chart. In the case of slug flow, the DAS acoustic energy decreases when the inclination angle increases. The performance of annular flow is similar to that of bubble flow, with the DAS energy increasing as the inclination angle increases. Overall, the order of DAS acoustic energy from the strongest to weakest is slug flow, followed by annular flow, and then bubble flow. The research shows that fiber optic DAS monitoring signals can effectively identify differences in gas volume, well inclination, and flow pattern, which provides an important technical basis and research foundation for the monitoring and analysis of multiphase flow in horizontal wells. Full article

As an advanced real-time monitoring technique, optic fiber downhole sensing has been widely applied in monitoring fracture propagation during hydraulic fracturing. However, existing fracture shape inversion methods face two main challenges: firstly, traditional methods struggle to accurately capture the dynamic changes in strain rate and fracture shape during the propagation process, and secondly, they are computationally expensive. To address these issues, this study proposes a full-time-step fitting inversion method. By precisely fitting all time steps of fracture propagation, this method effectively overcomes the shape deviation problems often encountered in traditional methods and significantly reduces computational costs. Compared to conventional single-time-step inversion methods, our approach not only provides a more accurate representation of the spatiotemporal dynamics of fracture propagation but also avoids the risk of significant errors in fracture shape reconstruction. Therefore, the proposed inversion method holds substantial practical value and significance in fracture monitoring and sensing for oil and gas fields. Full article

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is a highly effective method of monitoring all kinds of intrusions on railway tracks. These intrusions represent a real problem in the railway sector, as they can lead to human deaths or damage to railway tracks, and these intrusions may be human or animal. A fiber was deployed along 12 km of track in a railway test center, enabling us to acquire data day and night. A data acquisition campaign was carried out in April 2023 to capture the signatures of several scenarios (walking, digging, falling rocks, etc.) in order to train machine learning models and prevent any intrusion by detecting and classify these intrusion. The study shows the diversity of signals that fiber can acquire in the rail sector and the machine learning model performance. Signals associated with the presence of animals are also presented. Full article