Abstract:
The objectives of monitoring geotechnical structures can be very diverse, including optimisation of the
design, quality control, long term performance assessment, and approval of innovative execution
techniques. In this context, new measurement techniques, based on optical fibres, offer the possibility of
accurate strain and temperature monitoring with very small sensors and limited numbers of cables. This
paper briefly presents optical fibre sensing techniques and illustrates their application to geotechnical
structures by means of some projects, carried out by the Belgian Building Research Institute (BBRI).