EP1620697A2

EP1620697A2 - Uniaxial thermal and/or mechanical deformation-measuring device, system and method employing a bragg grating optical fibre

Info

Publication number: EP1620697A2
Application number: EP04742687A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Laurent Morin
Original assignee: Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
Current assignee: Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
Priority date: 2003-05-07
Filing date: 2004-05-07
Publication date: 2006-02-01
Also published as: WO2004099713A3; JP2006525501A; FR2854689B1; WO2004099713A2; US7406877B2; KR20060014042A; FR2854689A1; US20070107529A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a uniaxial deformation-measuring device consisting of: a section of optical fibre comprising at least one Bragg grating which is aligned with the direction of the measurement axis; and a test body which is subjected to the deformations to be measured and which transmits same to the section of optical fibre. The inventive device is characterised in that: (i) fixing points, which are designed to subject the fibre section to a negative, positive or zero preload and to transmit the elongations experienced in the test body thereto, are separated by a distance (Lfib) presenting a variation (?Lfib) when the test body is stressed by the deformation to be measured; (ii) the effective length (Lce) of the test body presents an elongation (?Lce) when the test body is stressed by the deformation to be measured; and the length (Lfib) of the section of optical fibre and the effective length (Lce) of the measurement body are such that the longitudinal deformation (?Lfib/Lfib) experienced by the section of optical fibre is strictly greater than the originating deformation (?Lce/Lce) of the test body, thereby defining an amplification factor K which is strictly greater than 1 and which is equal to the quotient (?Lfib/Lfib) /(?Lce/Lce) at the first order.

Description

DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING

MECHANICAL AND / OR THERMAL DEFORMATIONS

UNIAXIAL USING NETWORK OPTICAL FIBER

FROM BRAGG

The present invention relates to a device, system and method for measuring mechanical and / or thermal deformations by means of a Bragg grating optical fiber, in particular for measuring a force and / or a temperature.

I. The prior art

An optical fiber 110 (FIG. 1) transmits electromagnetic radiation 112, maintained in its optical core 114 thanks to a difference between the refractive index n _c of the optical core 114 and the refractive index n _g of the optical cladding (cladding ) 116, with a low attenuation, of the order of 0.20 dB / km for a transmission with a wavelength of 1.55 μm.

Furthermore, a mechanical sheath (coating) 118 surrounds the optical fiber 110 so as to allow its manipulation without weakening the latter. Conventionally, this sheath 118 is made of polyacrylate or polyimide. The refractive index n _c of the optical core 114 can locally undergo longitudinal modulation in the optical core, according to a spatial period Λ or "step", so that the optical fiber reflects the radiation propagating at a wavelength λ _B given. This local longitudinal index modulation constitutes a Bragg grating and the reflected wavelength λ _B is called the Bragg wavelength characteristic of the grating.

This wavelength λ _B can be predetermined by means of the Bragg relation which is written, in the first order:

λ _B = 2 Λ n _e (T, λ, [ε ₃ χ ₃ ]) (1)

where Λ is the characteristic pitch of the Bragg grating inscribed in the optical fiber, n _e is the effective index of the guided fundamental mode of the optical fiber, T the temperature of the optical fiber at the level of the grating, λ the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation and [ε _3x3 ] the 3 x 3 tensor of the Green-Lagrange deformations of the fiber. This tensor [ε _3x3 ] of the deformations of Green-

The fiber range is a function of local variations in the dimensions of the fiber such as its length. These dimensions can vary depending, for example, on the hydrostatic pressure applied to the section of optical fiber carrying the Bragg grating.

It therefore appears that the Bragg wavelength λ _B of a Bragg grating is a function of physical, mechanical and / or thermal parameters, influencing this grating. Therefore, an optical fiber provided with at least one Bragg grating can be used to measure physical parameters, for example when these physical parameters influence the length L _fi of the optical fiber at a Bragg grating of such that a variation of this parameter leads to a modification of the characteristic wavelength λ _B of the Bragg grating.

It should be specified that the expression “deformation of the optical fiber” includes mechanical deformations, for example generated by a mechanical action such as an elongation force exerted on the fiber, and thermal deformations generated by a variation in temperature. . For example, a variation in temperature can cause a variation in the effective index of the fiber. In fact, the temperature T to which a Bragg grating is subjected modifies its characteristic wavelength λ _B.

Furthermore, it is known that the determination of a deformation measured by a Bragg grating is optimal when its deformation remains homogeneous, that is to say when the grating passes from a step Λ at rest to a step Λ _m under the effect of a variation of the quantity to be measured. An absence of deformation gradient along the network guarantees such homogeneity.

The measurement of the variation of a parameter is carried out by means of a light beam sent into the optical fiber from one of its ends, this beam comprising at least the wavelength λ _B of a grating of Bragg inscribes in this optical fiber, as well as the Bragg wavelengths of this network when it is subjected to variations in the physical parameter measured. More precisely, the wavelength λ _B characteristic of the Bragg grating exhibits a variation Δλ _B when, for example, a variation ΔT of its temperature, ΔL _fi of the length of the optical fiber and / or ΔP of the hydrostatic pressure is produced at the Bragg grating reflecting this wavelength λ _B.

When the fiber is deformed uniaxially along its optical propagation axis, such a relation can be formulated by differentiating the relation (1) as a function of the temperature T, of the length L _fib of the optical fiber comprising the Bragg grating and of the hydrostatic pressure P surrounding this optical fiber at the level of the Bragg grating. He then comes:

Δ'λ _B / λ _B = a 'ΔT + b' Δε _fib + c 'ΔP (2)

where a ', b' and c 'are, in a first approximation, constants specific to the nature of the optical fiber considered and Δ'λ _B the variation of the characteristic wavelength λ _B of the Bragg grating, Δε _fib is the variation in longitudinal mechanical deformation of the fiber, equal to the first order at the quotient ΔL _fi / L _f i _b of the variation of mechanical origin ΔL _fi of the length L _fi of the optical fiber.

A measuring device is generally designed so that only the quantity to be measured acts on the signal Δ'λ _B / λ _B actually measured. For this purpose, it uses a test body 123 (FIG. 1b) on which is fixed, by means of two fixing points 121 and 125, the fiber section 110 of length L _fi on which at least one Bragg network 124 is registered.

In this case, the relation (2) is written in the form:

Δλ _B / λ _B = a ΔT + b Δε _ce + C ΔP (3)

where a, b and c are constants respectively dependent on a ', b' and c ', taking into account the geometry of the test body 123 and its thermomechanical characteristics. In addition, Δε _ce represents the variation in mechanical deformation of the test body 123, equal to the first order at the quotient ΔL _ce / L _ce of the variation of mechanical origin ΔL _ce of the length L _ce of the test body.

By neglecting the influence of the pressure (c ΔP), this relation (3) allows, from the measurement of the variations Δλ _B of the wavelength reflected by the Bragg grating 124 of the optical fiber 110, to measure a deformation due to: a variation in the temperature to which the Bragg network 124 is subjected, and / or - a variation in the deformation ΔL _ce / L _ce between the anchoring points 121 and 125 of the section of the optical fiber 110 bearing the Bragg network 124.

Such a measurement of variation in deformation ΔL _ce / L _ce of the test body 123 can be used to measure a variation in force ΔF acting on this test body 123. In fact, knowing the thermomechanical properties and the geometry of the test body, it is possible to establish a correspondence between the value of this variation of force ΔF and a variation ΔL _C e / L _œ of the uniaxial deformation of any fiber aligned between the two anchor points 121 and 125 of this test body.

In this example, the optical fiber 110 with a Bragg grating 124 is prestressed in tension between the two anchoring points 121 and 125 of the test body 123.

Thus, when an action is exerted on this test body 123, the latter deforms, causing a variation ΔL _ce of the distance between the two anchor points 121 and 125 which can be measured by means of the variation Δλ _B of the wavelength reflected by the optical fiber 110 with a Bragg grating 124.

In other words, the variations ΔL _ce of the length L _ce of the test body are measured by the variations Δλ _B of the Bragg wavelength λ _B reflected by the Bragg grating 124 inscribed in the optical fiber 110 .

A measuring device fitted with a Bragg grating optical fiber has many advantages. For example, it makes it possible to place the spectral analysis system in charge of measuring the Bragg wavelength at a distance from the measurement point thanks to the low spectral attenuation of the optical fiber with respect to the transmitted radiation. .

Such a distance is advantageous when, for example, the measurement is carried out in a hostile environment (high temperature and / or humidity (s)) or difficult to access for the signal processing means.

Other advantages lie in the fact that the optical fiber is insensitive to external electromagnetic disturbances or that it exhibits a linear behavior in deformations, that it makes it possible to obtain good resolution and that it is insensitive to the aging of the end components (laser sources or connectors for example), the measurement principle being based on a spectral measurement, namely the Bragg wavelength characteristic of the network.

II. The problem solved by the invention

However, in certain cases, the measurement sensitivity of a conventional Bragg grating optical fiber device is insufficient to have sufficient measurement resolution with respect to a temperature and / or a force, and more generally, a deformation.

For example, one may wish to measure the contact force between a pantograph and its catenary wire so as to minimize this force and reduce the wear of its elements.

Such a measurement is carried out by detecting the deformations of the pantograph during its action on the catenary wire so that, knowing the thermomechanical behavior of the pantograph, it is possible to calculate the vertical forces applied inter alia by the catenary wire on this pantograph.

In this case, the measurement or detection sensitivity of a Bragg grating optical fiber conventionally used as in the prior art, is insufficient.

A pantograph is indeed as a whole dimensioned to present a high rigidity and very limited deformations. Thus, in a first example, a variation of 1 N in the vertical force applied to the shoe of carbon induced, by three-point bending, a variation in longitudinal deformation of the order of 5 x 10 ^"5 percent, this contact force being able to evolve within a variation range of up to 500 N. In other words, the absolute resolution of deformation required by the measuring device to resolve a variation in contact force of 1 N is of the order of

5 x 10 ^"5 percent.

Such a resolution cannot be provided by resistive electrical strain gauges because the measurement signal supplied by these gauges is disturbed due to the electromagnetic fields generated by the catenary wire.

According to other examples, the variations in deformations to be measured of structures designed not to vary, such as buildings, bridges or dams, may also be too small to be able to be measured satisfactorily with a conventional device provided with a Bragg grating optical fiber.

III. The invention

The present invention solves the problem mentioned above by proposing a device, a system and a method, the measurement sensitivity of which is greater than that of the usual Bragg grating devices, systems or methods.

The invention results from the observation that an optical fiber has a longitudinal strain limit at break greater than the elastic longitudinal strain limit of materials generally used to form a test body, and in particular metals, as shown in Figure 2.

In this FIG. 2 is shown, along an abscissa axis 200, the longitudinal deformation ε of an optical fiber with a silica matrix Si0 ₂ (curve 202) and the deformation of metals during a standard tensile and compression test, namely steels (curve 204) and steels with high elastic limit, also called HLE steels (curve 206), according to the stress σ (ordinate axis 208) to which each material is subjected.

It can then be seen that the deformation range of a silica optical fiber (curve 202) has a tensile strength deformation limit of the order of 5 percent, significantly greater than the elastic deformation limit of metals, 0.2 percent.

The invention also results from the observation that, as shown later, the signal measured by the relative displacement Δλ _B / λ _B of the wavelength characteristic of a Bragg grating varies proportionally to the relative variation ΔL / L of the distance L between the two anchoring points to the test body of the section of the optical fiber carrying the Bragg grating used to carry out the measurements. In accordance with the practice, such a relative variation will be called “deformation” in what follows.

However, in the quotient ΔL / L, it is noted that only the variation ΔL of the length L of the section of the optical fiber used to carry out measurements, that is to say between two attachment points of the test body, is linked to the quantity to be measured.

In other words, it is possible to modify the length L of the section of optical fiber to Bragg grating requested to perform the deformation measurements so that this length is less than the length of the measurement body L _ce by a factor K. In in this case, the relative displacement Δλ _B / λ _B of the characteristic wavelength of a Bragg grating of this factor K is increased, thus facilitating the measurement of this variation. This is why the invention relates to a device for measuring uniaxial deformations comprising a section of optical fiber provided with at least one Bragg grating aligned in the direction of the measurement axis, and a test body subjected to the deformations to be measured and transmitting them to the section of optical fiber, means for sending into the fiber a light wave comprising the Bragg wavelengths which can be reached by all Bragg gratings registered on this fiber and means for reading the length of Bragg wave of each of these networks, characterized in that: - the fixing points capable of subjecting this section of fiber to a negative, positive or zero prestressing, and of transmitting to it the elongations of the test body, are separated by a distance (L _fi ) presenting a variation (ΔL _fi ) when the test body is stressed by the deformation to be measured, the effective length (L _ce ) of the test body has an elongation ation (ΔL _ce ), when the test body is stressed by the deformation to be measured, the length (L _fi ) of the optical fiber section and the effective length (L _ce ) of the measuring body are such that the longitudinal deformation (ΔL _fib / L _f i _b ) of the optical fiber section is strictly greater than the deformation (ΔL _ce / L _ce ) of the test body which is at the origin of it, thus defining an amplification coefficient K strictly greater than 1, and equal to the first order at the quotient (ΔL _fi / L _f j _b ) / (ΔL _ce / L _ce ).

For uniaxial deformations of great amplitude, that is to say beyond 5 percent, such as those which it is possible for example to obtain with a plastic fiber, it is also necessary to take into account the terms beyond of the first order, and the definition of K becomes:

ln [l + (ΔL Lfl _b )] / ln [l + (ΔL _ce / L _ce )]

Between the part of the test body delimited by the effective length L _ce and subjected to the uniaxial deformation to be measured, and the attachment points of the fiber spaced apart from L _fi , there exists, at at least one of the ends of the section of optical fiber, a mechanical element which is not subjected to the same deformation but transmits the corresponding elongation to the fiber. This mechanical element can be an integral part of the test body or constitute a separate element from this test body. It usually has a protruding shape. Thus, preferably the length (L _fi ) of the optical fiber section is less than the length (L _ce ) of the test body.

It should be noted that the amplification, by the coefficient K, of the measurement signal can be obtained when the variation ΔL _fib of the length L _fib of the fiber used for the measurement is distinct from the variation ΔL _ce of the test body. However, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the variation in length (ΔL _fib ) of the section of optical fiber is equal to the variation in length (ΔL _ce ) of the test body.

In fact, the invention allows an increase in the resolution of the measurements carried out as long as the mechanical deformation of the test body ΔL _Ce / L _ce is less than the mechanical deformation ΔL _fi / L _fib , of the section of the optical fiber to network. of Bragg used to carry out measurements of deformations.

For example, for a factor K equal to three (ΔL _C e / L _ce = 3 (ΔL _fi / L _fib )), the dynamics of the measured signal Δλ _B / λ _B , i.e. the range of measured values becomes three times wider, resulting in the sensitivity of the device being multiplied by this factor K.

The value K is strictly greater than 1 and its greater value is limited only by additional constraints, for example linked to the materials used. This coefficient K is also limited by the fact that the length L _fib must in no case be less than the length of the Bragg grating, or if there are several Bragg grids measuring the deformation of the test body, of the smallest distance measured along the optical fiber which comprises all these Bragg gratings.

Finally, this coefficient K is also limited by the fact that the breaking point of the optical fiber must not be reached.

The strain measurement device according to the invention also makes it possible to carry out measurements of forces or of mechanical stresses. To do this, it suffices to associate means capable of transforming these mechanical forces or stresses into a uniaxial deformation measured by the device according to the invention. In this case, the additional constraints limiting the upper value of K can result from the limitation of the errors induced by the thermal expansion of the mechanical parts whose dimensions and thermomechanical properties determine K.

It was specified that between the part of the test body delimited by the effective length L _ce , and the attachment points of the fiber spaced from L _fib , there was at least one mechanical element which is not subjected to the same deformation as the test body but transmits the corresponding elongation to the fiber. In the case of _. mechanical force or stress measurements, each of these mechanical elements is, by construction, not subject to any of the deformations generated by the mechanical forces or stresses to be measured.

The deformation measuring device according to the invention also makes it possible to carry out temperature measurements. It suffices to associate means capable of transforming these temperatures into a uniaxial deformation measured by the device according to the invention.

In this case, each mechanical element which is not subjected to the same deformation as the test body, but transmits to the fiber the corresponding elongation, is not subjected to the same deformations as the test body on its effective length (L _ce ) because it is distinct from the test body, made of a material not necessarily the same coefficient of expansion, and therefore it is not necessarily subject to the same thermal expansion.

The deformation measurement device according to the invention also makes it possible to carry out torque measurements. For this, it suffices to associate means capable of transforming these couples into a difference in deformation of two Bragg gratings each measuring a uniaxial deformation, and arranged in an adequate manner so that this difference is linked to the torque to be measured. This example will be detailed later on in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention. The constraints of this type of embodiment are the same as those linked to the measurement of mechanical forces and constraints, to which are added the known constraints of differential measurements, such as for example the importance of associating two elements as similar as possible.

It is important to emphasize that the principle of the invention, which aims to amplify the deformations undergone by a test body at the level of the Bragg grating of an optical fiber, is contrary to the usual use according to which one tends to limit the stresses of the deformable material forming the test body in order to preserve its metrological properties and its lifespan.

It would not go beyond the scope of the invention to associate with each test body several sections in parallel of one or more optical fibers, each carrying at least one Bragg grating and in accordance with the above invention.

The fixing of the fibers at the ends can for example be done by welding, gluing, winding around a capstan. However, the invention places greater demands on the optical fiber than in the measurement devices of the prior art. Thus, the invention can generate very high deformation gradients at the embedding of the stressed portion of fiber, which can lead to damage or even breakage of the fiber.

To avoid this, the preferred embodiment of the invention uses, at each end of the fiber, a device for fixing this fiber separate from the test body, and constituting a sort of mandrel specific to the optical fiber considered.

These kinds of mandrel comprise at least three jaws distributed around a main axis coincident with the axis of the fiber, each jaw comprising an inner surface consisting of a central portion and two end portions, the end portions being produced so as to extend the central portion while gradually moving away from the main axis of the device, and each comprising at least one part in contact with the mechanically deformable sheath of the optical fiber when the jaw occupies a clamping position.

Preferably, the diameter left free by the jaws tightened to the maximum is a little greater than the diameter of the single core of the fiber. Thus, during tightening, this core being much harder than the mechanical sheath of the fiber, it is essentially the latter which is deformed.

According to another variant of the invention, an optical fiber with a Bragg grating called phase jump is used, as described in the doctoral thesis of the University of Paris-Sud, Center d'Orsay, supported on November 24, 1999 by Mr. Christophe Martinez, and entitled "Study and production of Bragg grating components in optical fibers", which has a typical spectral width halfway up its central peak of 25 pm compared to the 300 pm of a standard Bragg grating, which improves the measurement resolution of the device.

More precisely, such a device comprises at least one phase jump Bragg grating, and is associated for the reading of its Bragg wavelength λ _Bsaut with a second apodized Bragg grating whose filter band includes all the lengths of Bragg wave λ _Bsaut that can take the phase jump network in all its extent of measurement.

According to another variant, a microstructured optical fiber, also called photonic crystal fiber, is used, the structure of which has, longitudinally at its optical axis, holes distributed in the section of the fiber, spaced from one another and which can be either empty , or filled with a material that can give this optical fiber a greater effective index than in the absence of this microstructure. It is then possible to register a Bragg grating in this fiber, when for example its optical core is doped with germanium Ge0 ₂ , according to the usually known methods, at a characteristic wavelength λ _B. The advantage provided by the increase in the effective index provided by this microstructure, which can be a few percent making it possible to increase the effective index of the fiber from a value of 1.46 to 1.50 for example, then makes it possible to increase the sensitivity to any influence of the parameters of the Bragg grating thus registered of the same order of magnitude.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear with the description given below by means of the attached figures in which: FIGS. 1a and 1b, already described, represent an optical fiber and its known prior use in a force, FIG. 2, already described, is a graph representing the elastic longitudinal deformation curves for different materials, FIG. 3 is a diagram of a first measuring device according to the invention, designed to measure forces, - the Figure 4 is a diagram of a second measuring device according to the invention, Figure 5 shows a use of a sensor according to the invention for measuring the force exerted on a pantograph, inter alia by its catenary line , - Figure 5a represents the 3D surface of the function t = f (u, v) of the variation of mechanical deformations of the optical fiber t = Δε _fi as a function of the amplification factor K = u and of the variation in mechanical deformation of the test body v = Δε _ce for a set of couples {u, v} admissible for an application of the sensor in a pantograph, FIG. 5b represents the curves of mechanical iso-deformations of the surface represented by the curve 5a for a set of couples {u, v} admissible for application of the sensor in a pantograph, FIG. 6a diagrammatically represents a force measurement system comprising a plurality of sensors in accordance with the invention, FIG. 6b diagrammatically represents a force measurement device comprising a plurality of optical fibers aligned along a same axis including the dedicated Bragg gratings for measuring mechanical deformations are in the same plane, in accordance with the invention and also allowing the measurement of torque, - Figure 6c schematically shows a temperature measurement device with a single Bragg grating kept prestressed and integral with the body FIG. 6d schematically represents a measuring device intended preferentially for the measurement of deformations of mechanical origin, the Bragg grating intended for the compensation of thermal effects is maintained in preload and integral with the test body, the FIG. 6e schematically represents a measuring device intended preferably tially for the measurement of deformations of which the Bragg grating intended for the measurement of deformations of mechanical origin is maintained in a sheath preventing its buckling, FIG. 7a schematically represents a cross section of the specific mandrel allowing, according to a preferential variant, to fix the ends of the section of optical fiber subjected to the deformation to be measured, FIG. 7b schematically represents an axial section along the plane III - III of the specific mandrel of FIG. 7a, and Figures 8a, 8b and 8c show various groove bottom profiles usable in the invention for mechanically blocking the optical fiber in its holding device. A first embodiment is described below using FIG. 3 which represents a device 300 for measuring forces according to the invention.

To determine the force applied to the test body 302 of this device, the longitudinal deformation Δε _ce of the latter is measured by means of an optical fiber

304 with Bragg grating 306.

Knowing the thermomechanical properties of the test body, it is possible to determine the variation in stress Δσ exerted on the device from the measurement of its longitudinal deformation Δε _this obeying, in elastic mode, Hooke's law:

Δσ = E. Δε ce

where E is the dΥoung modulus of the material used for the test body. Knowing the section S of this test body at the place where the longitudinal deformation Δε _œ is measured, the variation in force ΔF exerted on it is deduced according to the relation:

ΔF = Δσ. S

In practice, the section S of this test body is not necessarily constant. It is enough that the force or the uniaxial stress, oriented in the direction of the section of fiber requested, applies to a section of this test body between two flat sections SI and S2 normal to the axis of measurement, continuous or discontinuous, and defined as follows: - they are opposite one another so that the application of force or stress does not induce any moment of rotation on the test body, these sections serve as supports for the fixing the fiber section, and impose its elongation, - the section between SI and S2 deforms at any point in an elastic manner without ever reaching the domain of plastic deformations.

In what follows we call L _ce the distance between these two planar sections S1 and S2 orthogonal to the direction of the stretch of fiber requested. It constitutes functionally the effective length of this test body.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the longitudinal deformation Δε _this measured is uniaxial, that is to say that it takes place along a single axis corresponding substantially to the axis of the optical fiber 304. This device is therefore particularly interesting for measuring uniaxial deformations or forces. The infinitesimal longitudinal deformation dε _œ of the effective length of the test body can then be defined by the relation:

where dL _ce represents the infinitesimal variation of the effective length of the test body and L _ce the effective length of the test body being elongated.

By integrating the relation (3), we obtain:

Δε _ce = ln [l + (ΔL _ce / Loce)] (4)

where ΔL _ce represents the sum of the infinitesimal length variations of the test body dL _ce , L _0ce the effective length of the test body before elongation, Δε _œ the sum of the variations of infinitesimal longitudinal deformations dε _ce of the corresponding test body at the elongation ΔL _ce , In being the base natural logarithm e ~ 2.71828182846 such that ln (e) = l.

Similarly, the infinitesimal longitudinal deformation dε _fib of the Bragg grating section of optical fiber used to measure deformations can be defined by the relation:

dε _fib = dL _fib / L _fib (5)

where dL _f j represents the infinitesimal variation of the effective length of the test body, L _fi the effective length of the test body being elongated.

By integrating the relation (5), we obtain:

Δε _fib = ln [l + (ΔLflh U) flb)] = ln [(l + ξ. (ΔL _ce / L _0fib )]

where L _0f i _b is the initial base length of the optical fiber and ξ is a coefficient practically equal to 1. This new relation (6) can also be written so as to reveal a factor K equal to the quotient of the initial length L _0ce of the test body by the initial length

L _0fi of optical fiber, this quotient being multiplied by the coefficient ξ (K = ξ (L _OC e / l-ofib)):

Δε _fib = ln [l + ξ (Lo _ce / Lofib) (ΔLce / Lθce)] = ln [l + K. (ΔL _œ / Loce)] (7)

Finally, assuming that the longitudinal deformation Δε _œ of the test body is significantly less than 1, we can perform a series development at order 1 of expression (7) to obtain the following relation (8):

Δε _fib = K.Δε _ce + θ (K.Δε _ce ) (8)

Thus, the deformation measured by the optical fiber with Bragg grating 304 is amplified, in the first order, by a factor K equal to the quotient of the deformation Δε _fib of the section of the optical fiber 304 used to carry out the measurements, by the deformation Δε _ce of the test body 302.

By choosing an appropriate ratio K, it is thus possible to amplify by this factor K the deformations of the test body 302 measured by the optical fiber 304 in order to obtain an improved measurement resolution. In general, a device according to the invention will have an amplification factor which is all the greater when the conditions below are satisfied: the product of the Young's modulus of the material constituting the test body by the most small submissive section at deformation is as small as possible, without however allowing this test body to deform at any of its points in a plastic manner, the effective length of the test body L _0ce is the greatest possible for a given length of the fiber section L _ofi .

In addition, while it is natural for a person skilled in the art to design a test body of constant section, the invention also makes it possible to use test bodies of variable sections as soon as its behavior at all points understood between the sections SI and S2 remains in the elastic range without ever reaching the range of plastic deformations.

To obtain a ratio K greater than one, the device 300 comprises two projecting elements 310, oriented towards one another, fixing the optical fiber 304 at a first end 312 and at a second end 314 such that the length at rest Lo _f i _b of the section of the optical fiber subjected to elongations is less than the effective length at rest L _0œ of the test body causing these elongations. It should be noted that a measuring device as described in Figure 3 has the advantage, compared to a strain gauge fixed on a test body, to allow the use of projecting elements, or projections 310 reducing the length of the optical fiber subjected to elongations.

In this preferred embodiment, these projecting elements are non-deformable vis-à-vis the external actions to be measured to which the test body is subjected, which makes it possible, in particular, to fix the ratio K so independent of the properties of the materials making up these projections.

The effective index n _e and the step Λ of the Bragg grating 306 are dependent on the temperature. In order to compensate for the effects of temperature on the spectral measurement, a second Bragg lattice 316 is used, which is placed at the same temperature as the first Bragg lattice 306, the variations in deformation of which are due only to the thermal expansion induced by temperature variations. In other words, this second Bragg network

316 is not sensitive to mechanical deformations of the test body so that, from the knowledge of the spectral measurement of its characteristic Bragg wavelength, we can correct the spectral measurements of the first grating of Bragg 306 so as to compensate for the effects of temperature on the effective index n _e and the pitch of the network Λ.

According to a variant, represented in FIG. 4, a device 400 for measuring forces comprises means 402, such as ventilation ducts, intended to homogenize the temperature within the device, and in particular between the Bragg network 404 intended for the force measurement and the second Bragg grating 406 intended to compensate for the thermal effects of the first Bragg grating.

It is important to note that Figures 3 and 4 show test bodies of various shapes, and in particular not having a constant section over their elongation length.

Furthermore, as indicated previously, an amplification ratio K should be chosen such that the deformation of the optical fiber does not reach its breaking limit.

For this purpose, it is recalled that an optical fiber with a silica matrix Si0 ₂ has an elastic limit in longitudinal deformations of the order of five percent in tension and at least fifteen percent in compression as specified in the article by GA Bail and WW Morey published on December 1, 1994 in the review "Optics Letters", volume 19, n ° 23 and entitled "Compression-tuned single-frequency Bragg grating fiber laser".

Furthermore, a plastic optical fiber has an elastic limit in longitudinal deformations in tensile generally higher with a tensile breaking limit which can commonly exceed one hundred percent. Such elasticity is due to the phenomenon of structural hardening of the polymer matrix caused by the preferential orientation in the direction of application of the force of the macromolecular chains of the polymer.

As described above using FIG. 2, these values are clearly higher than those of a compound, such as a metal, a ceramic or a piezoelectric material which can form the test body, the deformations of which must remain in the elastic range so as not to present any measurement error. Typically, this elastic limit in uniaxial deformation is of the order of 0.2 percent for a standard steel, and 0.35 percent for a steel with high elastic limit. In the particular example of a test body made of steel the elastic limit of which is close to 0.2 percent, and provided with an optical fiber with a Si0 ₂ silica matrix in which a Bragg grating is inscribed, it is possible to reach an amplification factor K greater than 25 (K> 5 / 0.2) for using the optical fiber only in tension, and higher than 100 (K> (5 + 15) / 0.2) if this fiber is used in compression.

Given the ability of a plastic optical fiber to be able to be extended even more, this amplification factor K can be even greater in the case of the use of a plastic optical fiber.

Furthermore, when the test body is made of a material having only very small deformations, the invention makes it possible to amplify the latter in order to carry out their measurement. Such is the case, in this second example, of the bow supports of a pantograph whose longitudinal deformations induced by the vertical forces exerted on it, in particular, by the catenary wire, are of the order of 10 ^"4 percent , that is to say an elongation of one micrometer for a length of one meter, while their elastic deformation limit is of the order of 0.2 percent.

According to another example, this amplification can be used on a force cell used with a rheological testing device, in tension and / or compression, on a material whose measurement range and resolution can be amplified with the advantage of '' a unidirectional measure independent of the transverse Poisson contraction effects.

The invention making it possible to increase the sensitivity of the measurement, it is particularly suitable in cases where the test body cannot present deformations of the magnitude usually used in extensometry, for example when it is necessary to introduce as little plasticity or brittleness as possible. Therefore, an optical fiber can be attached to a network of

Bragg in two points of a test body, so that the variations of deformations of this test body are transmitted in an amplified way with respect to the optical fiber with Bragg grating, the amplification factor K being chosen so that the breaking limit of the optical fiber is not reached.

A device according to the invention has an increased measurement resolution compared to a known device since the relative longitudinal deformations of the portion of optical fiber located between these two elements are, for identical elongations of the measurement body, larger than with a conventional device.

In other words, the sensor must be dimensioned so that the deformation undergone by the Bragg grating optical fiber is less than its tolerance threshold, that is to say less than the maximum admissible level of deformations whose value depends the desired lifetime of the device.

To define this value, we can use the Weibull conditions, for example described in the article by M. Jean Phalippou entitled "Glasses, Properties and Applications", AF 3 601, Treatise "Basic Sciences", Engineering Techniques, 249, Rue de Crimée, F-75925 Paris Cedex 19.

The dimensioning and the choice of the elements forming the device 300 can also take into account the relationship between the variation in force ΔF applied to the test body and the variation in mechanical deformation Δε _fib of the optical fiber.

To this end, it can be considered, for example for a test body tube of cylindrical geometry, that the variation in mechanical deformation Δε _fi of the optical fiber is measured by a relation of the type:

Δε _fib = ln [l + ξ (Loce / ofib) - (exp (ΔF / (π.E _t . (Φot-eot) .eot)) - l)] (9)

where ΔF is the variation of external force applied to the test body, E _t the dΥoung modulus of the test body tube, Φ _ot the external diameter of the tube used for the test body, e _o the thickness of this tube and ξ a constant considered equal to one thereafter.

The relation (9) can be considered as a function f (u, v) of two variables u and v such that: t = f (u, v) (10) which can be studied mathematically by considering the parameters t, u , v and j defined according to the relations: t = Δε _fib , v = ΔF / [E _t . (Φot-eot) .e ₀ t)] and j which represents a clearance between the test body and the fiber holding device allowing its assembly. Such a study was carried out on the domain of definition Df _(u , _v) . of the function f, i.e. the domain of admissible values for u and v:

(H) By considering the values indicated in tables 1 and 2 at the end of this description, the study of this function has made it possible to determine the optimal conditions {u, v} _opt for which the longitudinal deformation of the optical fiber Δε _fib is maximum , reflecting the conditions for maximum amplification of the mechanical deformation of the test body, namely:

{ _{M; V} } ₍₌ [ ^ma * fc max (ΔF) 1 ₍₁₂₎

° ^≠ [min (E _o . 'Min (E min () -min (e ₀ min (e ₀ ,) J

The maximum of the longitudinal mechanical deformations of the optical fiber is then obtained for conditions such as:

The numerical result of the study of this function is represented in FIG. 5a as a function of u = K (axis 500), of v (axis 502) and of the value of the mechanical deformation Δε _fi obtained.

The relation (13) makes it possible to define, among the candidate materials for the given specific application, optimal conditions for amplification of the longitudinal deformations of an optical fiber with Bragg gratings according to the invention, namely: a body tube test of modulus dΥoung Ε _t as small as possible, an effective length of the test body tube L _0ce as large as possible, an outside diameter of test body tube Φ _ot as small as possible, a thickness of test body tube e _o as small as possible. Furthermore, the functions previously indicated make it possible to determine the set of couples {u, v} making it possible to obtain an optical fiber deformation Δε _fib , given for a given amplification factor K, as shown in FIG. 5b which is an example of mechanical iso-deformation curves.

The lengths L _0g and L _0d of the two protruding elements 310 for fixing the optical fiber, L _0ce of the test body as well as the length L _0f j _b of the optical fiber can be determined in a particularly optimal manner, as can the coefficients thermal expansion or expansion α _ce of the test body, α _g of the protruding element 310 left, α _d of the protruding element 310 right and α _f of the optical fiber.

In fact, the compensation of the mechanical stresses originating from the thermal expansion of the various constituent elements of the sensor leads to choosing coefficients of thermal expansion which best respect equality:

at _this . Loce = αg. Log + α _f . L ₀ fj _b + α _d . Lod

On the other hand, to limit the measurement errors generated by the non-reproducible mechanical behavior in shearing of the protective polymer sheath of the optical fiber when the latter is subjected to mechanical deformation in tension or in compression and kept tight in its fixing protruding elements 310, it appears that the lengths Lo _ce of the test body, L _0g and _od of the left and right projecting fixing elements of the optical fiber and L _0fib of the fiber optics must at best respect equality:

Log = Lod = Lfjfj _b / 2 = L _f jce / 4

Indeed, such a relationship makes it possible to minimize the shearing effects of the polymer sheath of the optical fiber, and more generally of any deformable coating, and to increase the lifetime of this optical fiber while respecting the Weibull conditions already mentioned.

For example, a device meeting the criteria mentioned above could include a Duralumin AU4G test body (E _t ~ 73GPa), an effective length of the test body (L _0ce ) of 20 mm, an outside diameter of the 6.2 mm test body (Φ _0t ), a thickness of the test body (e _0t ) 1 mm, a length of optical fiber (Lo _f i _b ) of 3 mm and a length of the fixing protruding elements test body (L _0g and L _0d ) of 8.5 mm each.

According to another use of a device according to the invention, conditions such as the mechanical elongation of thermal origin induced on the optical fiber by the test body are determined and the two holding devices is amplified in order to improve the measurement resolution of temperature variations.

Thus, instead of attenuating the mechanical effects induced by the temperature variation on the optical fiber, which is not not the configuration sought when the device is configured for the preferential measurement of a mechanical deformation or of a force, the device is configured according to conditions such that the optical fiber presents strong variations of deformations of mechanical origin in the event of variations of the temperature.

For this purpose, the test body should have a coefficient of thermal expansion α _ce as large as possible, and in particular greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion ct _f of the optical fiber and those α _g and α _d of two fasteners

310 of optical fiber.

Thus, the total deformation, that is to say the sum of the deformations of mechanical and thermal origin of the optical fiber with Bragg grating, is the amplified result of the thermal deformation of the test body, thereby allowing better resolution of the temperature measurement by the Bragg grating.

Furthermore, for this amplification to be as large as possible for the same geometry of the device, it is necessary that the coefficients of thermal expansion α _g and α _d of the two fastening elements of the optical fiber are equal and the most weak possible.

It should be noted that in this particular case where only temperature measurement is sought, it is not essential, as shown in FIG. 6c, to provide the device with a Bragg grating of thermal compensation as represented by Figure 4.

This configuration makes it possible to take advantage of the advantages provided by a series use of such sensors temperature: use of a single fiber, without the need to use devices such as optical couplers, to make connections specific to each sensor mounted in parallel having the effect, with each division of the optical circuit, of dividing between each of the branches the total optical power transmitted through the optical fiber.

In one embodiment of the invention, a system 600 (FIG. 6a) of measurements is used comprising different devices 602 in accordance with the invention arranged in parallel to carry out various measurements. Such an application has the advantage of being able to be carried out using a single optical fiber 604, having connections 606 specific to each device 602, within which electromagnetic radiation is transmitted at different wavelengths.

Consequently, by considering that each device has at least one distinct Bragg wavelength, it is possible to process the spectrally multiplexed information relating to each device 602 by the same spectral analysis system 608 not shown in detail. This 608 system can be moved away from the measurement points.

It is also possible to produce a measurement system comprising several distinct optical fibers each comprising at least one device according to the invention. In this case, the reading of the various fibers is carried out sequentially by temporal demultiplexing, the reading of the wavelengths characteristic of each of their Bragg grating (s) being carried out by spectral demultiplexing as already mentioned. To compensate for the dispersions of thermomechanical behavior between the devices which may arise from a dispersion during their manufacturing process, it is possible to use a device 610 isolated from external mechanical stresses and only subjected to temperature variations as a reference device in order to reference the measurements provided by the other devices subjected, for their part, to external forces or deformations to be measured.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of Bragg gratings are used within a test body so as to define a deformation of this test body from an average of the longitudinal deformations measured by each network from Bragg.

Such an embodiment has the advantage of providing a measure of better resolution of the value sought in a ratio l / root (n) where n is the number of Bragg gratings considered.

This embodiment can be carried out by means of a section of optical fiber comprising a plurality of Bragg gratings or by means of a plurality of sections of optical fiber with Bragg gratings.

In the latter case, in accordance with the force measurement device shown in FIG. 6b, if these Bragg grating optical fibers are in the same plane, aligned in the same direction, it is possible to use the measurements provided by each of the Bragg gratings to determine the value of a torque exerted on the test body normally at the plane defined by the optical fibers. To this end, the average mechanical deformation measured by each of these Bragg gratings for all of the optical fibers makes it possible to evaluate the value of the uniaxial force having led to this average mechanical deformation, on the one hand, while, on the other hand, the deviations from this average value of each of the deformations measured by each fiber, make it possible to evaluate the value of the torque exerted on the test body normally at the plane defined by the optical fibers.

The fixing of the optical fiber to the test body is of great importance for the reliability of the measurements and their reproducibility. For this purpose, it seems preferable to use a method of fixing the optical fiber to the test body by means of a mechanical pinching which has various advantages such as maintaining the tightening zone, easy dismantling of the fixing. , for example to mechanically prestress the optical fiber precisely, thus avoiding subjecting the optical fiber to mechanical deformations that are unnecessary and harmful to its life, the small size of the device and the possibility of using various groove profiles to trap the fibers.

In addition, the use of a specific mandrel 700 (FIGS. 7a and 7b) for fixing, comprising three jaws 4 having a progressive curvature 704 at the end of the clamping device, makes it possible to maintain without sliding an optical fiber with tensile forces. or compression exerted on it particularly high, without damaging it.

This specific device 700 comprises at least three jaws 701 distributed around a main axis 702 merged with Fiber tax, each jaw comprising a surface interior consisting of a central portion 703 and two end portions 704, the end portions being produced so as to extend the central portion while gradually moving away from the main body of the device, and each comprising at least one contact with the mechanically deformable sheath 710 of the fiber 711 when the jaw occupies a clamping position.

At its maximum clamping position, this device has a diameter 715 left free by the jaws tightened to the maximum which is a little greater than the diameter of the single core.

716 fiber.

Several Bragg gratings can be registered successively in the same fiber. If the Bragg wavelengths λ _B ι, λ _{B2 ...} λ _Bn of these gratings are sufficiently far apart, these wavelengths λ _{Bi /} λ _B2 . _. . λ _Bn can easily be dissociated without interfering with each other so as to use a single fiber to perform various measurements.

The measurement is carried out by detecting either the wavelength of the light reflected towards the source by the Bragg grating (detection by reflection), or the missing wavelength in the light transmitted at the distal end of the fiber. optical (detection by transmission).

The groove bottom profiles that can be used to hold an optical fiber are, in the order of preference, ideally a circular profile, and taking into account the difficulties and costs of machining, a square profile (FIG. 8a), equilateral

(Figure 8b) and at right angles (Figure 8c) which have the advantages of being simpler to produce. Any other more complex groove bottom profile (to

N rated, for example) can be used, but its advantage in terms of mechanical retention or low mechanical damage to the optical fiber remains limited compared to the previous bottom groove profiles.

Plastic deformation of the portion or section of optical fiber under consideration, if this is possible, is authorized in such a device provided, however, that this portion of optical fiber thus deformed does not exhibit buckling, which is the case if the optical fiber is always stressed in tension.

This can be particularly interesting in the case of plastic optical fibers whose matrix is by nature made of a non-fragile material and whose range of plastic deformations is very wide. In the case where the mechanical tension of this portion of optical fiber, during the elastic return of the test body or its reverse mechanical stress (traction or compression), passes through zero and presents a start of buckling, the measurement then produced by the Bragg network is no longer related to that of the test body and becomes irrelevant.

It then remains possible (FIG. 6e) to condition the portion of optical fiber 656 comprising at least one Bragg grating intended for measuring mechanical deformation in a deformable guide device 652, for example a tube with an inside diameter close to the diameter outside of the optical fiber, so that it can no longer flame, making it possible to continuously extend its longitudinal mechanical deformation in compression: in this case, the optical fiber being always mechanically guided along the same axis, its deformation is always in the same direct relationship with that of the test body 654 through the coefficient K.

This particular conditioning of the optical fiber allowing its compression stress has the advantage of being able to exploit, in addition to the field of longitudinal deformations in tension, the field of longitudinal deformations in compression of the optical fiber, thereby increasing the extent of the accessible measures.

For example, the range of elastic deformations in compression of an optical fiber with a Si0 ₂ silica matrix is at least three times greater than its range of elastic deformations in tension, making it possible to multiply by at least four the range of measurement potentially accessible. through the K factor, and therefore the measurement resolution of the device.

The possible presence of a residual plastic deformation on the Bragg grating optical fiber does not, in a first approximation, degrade the amplification factor K, but can displace the midpoint of the measurement range in the event of buckling of this portion of optical fiber is not contained.

According to another embodiment of a device preferably intended for measuring deformations of mechanical origin (Figure 6d), the optical fiber 644 is provided with: - at least one Bragg grating 642 isolated from external mechanical actions s' acting on the device intended for the compensation of thermal effects and conditioned so as to be maintained in mechanical tension between two holding devices 640 and 641 of which at least one of them is protruding, and at least one Bragg grating 646 maintained in positive or zero negative mechanical prestressing by two holding devices 649 and 650 of which at least one is projecting, and aligned with its two anchor points 647 and 648, characterized in that this portion of fiber can be kept guided in an anti-buckling holding device as described in FIG. 6e. This configuration of the device has the double advantage: of allowing a serial multiplexing of such devices because the Bragg 642 network dedicated to the compensation of thermal effects is completely isolated from the external mechanical actions exerted on the device, which makes it possible to take advantage intrinsic advantages provided by such use: use of a single fiber, without the need to use devices such as optical couplers, to make connections specific to each sensor mounted in parallel having the effect, with each division of the optical circuit, to divide between each of the branches the total optical power transmitted through the optical fiber, to improve the precision of the device, since the thermal compensation of such a device integrates in addition to the previous solutions through the structure 643, the effects thermal expansion of the test body acting in a similar way on the (s) Bragg 646 network (s) dedicated to measuring mechanical deformation. A concrete example of application of the invention lies in its use, within a pantograph, for measuring the force exerted on the latter by its action on a catenary.

Indeed, the action of a catenary on a pantograph results in a slight deformation which, thanks to the invention, can be sufficiently amplified to be measured in order to control this action and thus ensure optimal contact between the pantograph and the catenary.

Table 1

Table 2

In short :

1. The invention thus relates to a device for measuring uniaxial deformations comprising a section of optical fiber provided with at least one Bragg grating aligned in the direction of the measurement axis, and a test body subjected to the deformations at measuring and transmitting them to the section of optical fiber, this device being intended to be placed in operating conditions where the fiber is excited by a light wave comprising the Bragg wavelength or the Bragg wavelengths which can reach all the Bragg gratings inscribed in this fiber and where this fiber is connected to means for reading the Bragg wavelength of each of these gratings and, if there are several Bragg gratings, demultiplexing means, this device being characterized in that: the fixing points capable of subjecting this section of fiber to a negative, positive or zero prestressing, and to transmitting to it the elongations of the test body, so nt separated by a distance (L _fi ) with a variation (ΔL _fi ) when the test body is stressed by the deformation to be measured, the effective length (L _œ ) of the test body has an elongation (ΔL _ce ), when the test body is stressed by the deformation to be measured, the length (L _fib ) of the optical fiber section and the effective length (L _œ ) of the measurement body are such that the longitudinal deformation (ΔL _fi / L _fi ) of the section of the optical fiber is strictly greater than the deformation (ΔL _ce / L _ce ) of the body of test which is at the origin of it, thus defining an amplification coefficient K strictly greater than 1, and equal to the first order with the quotient (ΔLf _ib / Lf _i ) / (ΔL _ce / L _C e).

The device can also have the following characteristics:

2. The length (L _fib ) of the section of optical fiber is less than the length (L _ce ) of the test body.

3. The variation in length (ΔL _fib ) of the optical fiber section is equal to the variation in length (ΔL _ce ) of the test body.

4. The optical fiber comprises a plurality of Bragg gratings assigned to the measurement of the deformations of the same test body, and the length (L _fib ) of the optical fiber section is greater than the smallest distance along the fiber optic which includes all of these Bragg gratings.

5. Prestressing places the section of optical fiber in tension, and the deformations to be measured increase this tension.

6. The prestressing places the section of optical fiber in tension, the deformations to be measured reduce this tension, and the initial prestressing is sufficient for the section of optical fiber to remain taut even when it is subjected to the greatest deformation of its span.

7. Prestressing places the section of optical fiber in compression, and this section of fiber is surrounded by an anti-buckling device.

8. The anti-buckling device comprises at least one section of a deformable rigid sheath surrounding the optical fiber and sliding on it with the smallest possible clearance, these sections being separated from each other by cylindrical or toric pieces of material which is sufficiently elastic to allow the greatest compression deformation that the section of optical fiber can reach over a measuring range. 9. A device for measuring mechanical forces or stresses comprises means capable of transforming these mechanical forces or stresses into a uniaxial deformation measured by a device conforming to one of points 1 to 8. 10. The device according to point 9, further comprises a Bragg grating, on a second section of optical fiber, this network being decoupled from the external mechanical forces to be measured, and subjected to the same temperature as the Bragg grating (s) of the first dedicated section (s) measuring mechanical forces deforming the test body, in order to compensate for thermal effects on the measurement.

11. A temperature measuring device comprises means capable of transforming these temperatures into a uniaxial deformation measured by a device conforming to one of points 1 to 8.

12. The device comprises means capable of homogenizing the temperature of the Bragg gratings assigned to the same test body.

13. The means capable of homogenizing the temperature allow the free circulation of a heat transfer fluid.

14. The test body is of constant section.

15. The test body is of variable section. 16. The device comprises at least one projecting element, integral with the test body, to which the optical fiber is fixed, this projecting element being undeformable with respect to the external actions to be measured to which the test body is subjected.

17. The test body, the optical fiber and the protruding element (s) verify the relationship:

α. ce - Loce - Ot _g . Lo _g + Otf. Lofj + Otd. Li Od

where α _ce is the coefficient of thermal expansion of the test body and L _0ce its length, α _g and α _d the coefficients of thermal expansion of the salient element (s) and L _0g and L _0d their length, and α _f le coefficient of thermal expansion of the optical fiber and L _0r j _b its length in mechanical pre-stress between its two attachment points.

18. For any portion of optical fiber maintained prestressed between 2 fixing devices, the test body, the optical fiber and the elements verify the relationship:

Lθg = Lfjd = ofib / 2 = Loce / 4

where L _0ce is the effective length of the test body, L _0g and L _0d the length of the projecting elements, and L _0fib the length of the optical fiber under mechanical pre-stress between the two projecting elements.

19. At each of its ends, the section of optical fiber is fixed to a fixing device comprising a specific mandrel (700) comprising at least three jaws (701) distributed around a main axis (702) merged with Fiber tax, each jaw comprising an interior surface consisting of a central portion (703) and two end portions (704), the end portions being produced so as to extend the central portion while gradually moving away from the main tax of the device, and each comprising at least one part in contact with the mechanically deformable sheath (710) of the fiber (711) when the jaw occupies a clamping position. 20. The diameter (715) left free by the jaws tightened to the maximum is a little greater than the diameter of the single core (716) of the fiber.

21. The test body is integral with, or incorporated into, a pantograph. 22. A device for measuring mechanical forces or stresses according to point 9 or 10 in which the product of the Young's modulus of the material constituting the test body by the smallest section subjected to deformation is as small as possible, without however allow this test body to deform at any of its points in a plastic way.

23. A temperature measuring device in accordance with one of points 11, 12 or 13 according to which the coefficient of thermal expansion of the test body α _ce is as large as possible, and in particular greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion α _f of the optical fiber and to those α _g and α _d of the two fixing elements (310) of the optical fiber.

24. A strain measurement system, comprising several optical fibers, each provided with at least a device according to one of points 1 to 23, which includes a time demultiplexing device making it possible to successively read the signals of each of the fibers, and in that these signals are then demultiplexed spectrally to obtain the characteristic wavelength Bragg gratings.

25. A device according to one of points 22 or 23 which measures the result of external mechanical interactions acting on a pantograph.

Claims

1. Uniaxial deformation measurement device comprising a section of optical fiber provided with at least one Bragg grating aligned in the direction of the measurement tax, and a test body subjected to the deformations to be measured and transmitting them to the fiber section optical, this device being intended to be placed in operating conditions where the fiber is excited by a light wave comprising the Bragg wavelength or of the Bragg wavelengths which all the Bragg gratings registered in this fiber and where this fiber is connected to means for reading the Bragg wavelength of each of these networks and, if there are several Bragg networks, of demultiplexing means, this device being characterized in that : the fixing points capable of subjecting this section of fiber to a negative, positive or zero prestressing, and of transmitting to it the elongations of the test body, are separated by a distance (L _flb ) having a variation (Δ _b ) when the test body is stressed by the deformation to be measured), the effective length (U _e ) of the test body has an elongation (Δl_c _e ), when the body d test is requested by the deformation to be measured, the length (U) of the optical fiber section and the effective length ( _e ) of the measurement body are such that the longitudinal deformation (Δ _b / _b ) of the optical fiber section is strictly greater than the deformation (ΔL _œ / l- _ce ) of the test body which is at the origin thereof, thus defining an amplification coefficient K strictly greater than 1, and equal to the first order at the quotient

2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the length _b ) of the optical fiber section is less than the length (L _ce ) of the test body.

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the variation in length (ΔL _f i) of the optical fiber section is equal to the variation in length (Δl_ _ce ) of the test body.

4. Device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the optical fiber comprises a plurality of Bragg gratings assigned to the measurement of the deformations of the same test body, and in that the length ( _b ) of the section of optical fiber is greater than the smallest distance along the optical fiber which comprises all these Bragg gratings.

5. Device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 characterized in that the prestressing places the optical fiber section in tension, and in that the deformations to be measured increase this tension.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the prestressing places the section of optical fiber in tension, in that the deformation to be measured reduces this tension, and in that the initial prestressing is sufficient for the section of optical fiber always remains tense even when subjected to the greatest deformation of its measuring range.

7. Device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 characterized in that the prestressing places the section of optical fiber in compression, and in that this section of fiber is surrounded by an anti-buckling device.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the anti-buckling device comprises at least one section of a deformable rigid sheath surrounding the optical fiber and sliding on it with the smallest possible clearance, these sections being separated from each other by cylindrical or toric pieces of material sufficiently elastic to allow the greatest deformation in compression that the fiber section can reach optics on one measuring range.

9. Device for measuring mechanical forces or stresses comprising means capable of transforming these mechanical forces or stresses into a uniaxial deformation measured by a device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a Bragg grating, on a second section of optical fiber, this grating being decoupled from the external mechanical forces to be measured, and subjected to the same temperature as the ( s) Bragg network (s) of the first section dedicated (s) to the measurement of the mechanical forces deforming the test body, this in order to compensate for the thermal effects on the measurement.

11. A temperature measurement device comprising means capable of transforming these temperatures into a uniaxial deformation measured by a device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 characterized in that it comprises means able to homogenize the temperature of the Bragg gratings assigned to the same test body.

13. Device according to claim 12 characterized in that the means capable of homogenizing the temperature allow the free circulation of a heat transfer fluid.

14. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a test body of constant section.

15. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a test body of variable section.

16. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one projecting element, integral with the test body, to which the optical fiber is fixed, this projecting element being undeformable with respect to the external actions to be measured. to which the test body is subjected.

17. Device according to claim 16 characterized in that the test body, the optical fiber and Telément (or elements) projecting (s) verify the relationship: Oce.Loce ⁼ ≈gl-Og + CCf. l_ofib + ≈d.Lod where α _is the coefficient of thermal expansion of the test body _and its length, α αg and the thermal expansion coefficients or the projecting elements and l_o _g and Lo _of their length, and α _f the coefficient of thermal expansion of the optical fiber and l_o _fi its length in mechanical pre-stress between its two attachment points.

18. Device according to claim 16 or 17 characterized in that, for any portion of optical fiber maintained prestressed between 2 fixing devices, the test body, the optical fiber and the elements verify the relationship:

Lθg = d = Lθfib / 2 = Loce / 4 where Lo _œ is the effective length of the test body, l_o _g and _d the length of the projecting elements, and L _fi the length of the fiber optical mechanical pre-stress between the two projecting elements.

19. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which, at each of its ends, the section of optical fiber is fixed to a fixing device comprising a specific mandrel (700) comprising at least three jaws (701) distributed around a main axis (702) merged with Taxe de la fiber, each jaw comprising an interior surface consisting of a central portion (703) and two end portions (704), the end portions being made so as to extend the central portion progressively deviating from the main tax of the device, and each comprising at least one part in contact with the mechanically deformable sheath (710) of the fiber (711) when the jaw occupies a clamping position.

20. Device according to claim 19 characterized in that the diameter (715) left free by the jaws tightened to the maximum is a little greater than the diameter of the single core (716) of the fiber.

21. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the test body is integral with, or incorporated in, a pantograph.

22. Device for measuring mechanical forces or stresses according to one of claims 9 or 10 characterized in that the product of the dΥoung module of the material constituting the test body by the smallest section subjected to deformation is the smallest possible, without however allowing this test body to deform at any of its points in a plastic way.

23. Temperature measurement device according to one of claims 11, 12 or 13 according to which the coefficient of thermal expansion of the test body α _ce is the greatest possible, and in particular greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion α _f of the optical fiber and those α _g and α _d of the two fixing elements (310) of the optical fiber.

24. Deformation measurement system, comprising several optical fibers, each provided with at least one device according to

Any of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that it includes a time demultiplexing device making it possible to successively read the signals of each of the fibers, and in that these signals are then spectrally demultiplexed to obtain the wavelength characteristic of each of the Bragg gratings.

25. System according to one of claims 22 or 23 characterized in that it measures the result of external mechanical interactions acting on a pantograph.