In recent years, fiber Bragg grating sensors have been used in many strain- and temperature-sensing applications. This paper reports on the use of Bragg gratings for embedded civil structures. Sensors, attached to steel rebar, were characterized and embedded into the concrete deck of a steel truss bridge. Preliminary results indicated that these sensors are a viable option for embedded civil applications. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 18: 214–219, 1998.