Fiber-optic based traffic and infrastructure monitoring system

Abstract

In an arrangement of a traffic infrastructure and an optic sensor system (), the traffic infrastructure has a traffic carrying surface () for providing support of conveyance elements () of a vehicle (), therewith allowing movements of the vehicle over the traffic carrying surface. The optic sensor system () comprising an interrogator () and at least one fiber optic sensor () arranged below the traffic carrying surface that is coupled to the interrogator. The at least one fiber optic sensor () comprising an optic fiber () with a plurality of optic strain-sensor elements () distributed over its length. The plurality of optic strain-sensor elements () have mutually different optical characteristics, e.g. a mutually different characteristic wavelength. The interrogator () is configured to transmit an optical interrogation signal into the at least one fiber optic sensor, to receive a response optical signal modulated by said fiber optic sensor, and to identify changes in the optical characteristics of the response optical signal resulting from strains induced in said optic strain-sensor elements as a result of a conveyance element () of a vehicle () moving over the traffic carrying surface () across said at least one fiber optic sensor. wherein the at least one fiber optic sensor () extends at least substantially according to a straight line in a direction at least substantially parallel to the traffic carrying surface.