Benefits of Global Standards on the Use of Optical Fiber Sensing Systems for the Impact of Construction of New Utilities and Tunnels on Existing Utilities

Abstract

Distributed Optical Fiber Sensing is a mature technology given its strong record of over 20 years. Nevertheless, underground utilities are yet to embrace it as an everyday tool despite its enormous capability. One dimensional long buried utilities and tunnels offer the best application for the use of this technology. Research studies around the world offer the promise of this technology in monitoring the impact of ground movements on underground utilities and tunnels. No application standards existed that governed the use of this technology within any jurisdiction in the world in September 2012. A global task group on optical fiber sensing systems (OFSS) was born to become a unique pool of talent and experience on the subject with over 40 leading experts from 17 countries, which went on to author two companion standards American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F3079-14 and F3092-14, within ASTM Technical Committee F36. This paper provides a brief overview of how OFSS work, what is in these standards, why OFSS is poised to become the most versatile innovation among all measurement tools for field monitoring, what problems the task group faced during the development of the standards and how the members of the task group resolved these problems, what the benefits are of such global standards and the future plans for the global OFSS task group. The most paramount goal of the authors is to share the lessons they learned during the development of the standards with the delegates of this conference.