A Study of Ultra-Thin Surface-Mounted MEMS Fibre-Optic Fabry–Pérot Pressure Sensors for the In Situ Monitoring of Hydrodynamic Pressure on the Hull of Large Amphibious Aircraft

Hydrodynamic slamming loads during water landing are one of the main concerns for the structural design and wave resistance performance of large amphibious aircraft. However, current existing sensors are not used for full-scale hydrodynamic load flight tests on complex models due to their large size...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tianyi Feng, Xi Chen, Ye Chen, Bin Wu, Fei Xu, Lingcai Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Photonics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/627
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849733414516686848
author Tianyi Feng
Xi Chen
Ye Chen
Bin Wu
Fei Xu
Lingcai Huang
author_facet Tianyi Feng
Xi Chen
Ye Chen
Bin Wu
Fei Xu
Lingcai Huang
author_sort Tianyi Feng
collection DOAJ
description Hydrodynamic slamming loads during water landing are one of the main concerns for the structural design and wave resistance performance of large amphibious aircraft. However, current existing sensors are not used for full-scale hydrodynamic load flight tests on complex models due to their large size, fragility, intrusiveness, limited range, frequency response limitations, accuracy issues, and low sampling frequency. Fibre-optic sensors’ small size, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and reduced susceptibility to environmental disturbances have led to their progressive development in maritime and aeronautic fields. This research proposes a novel hydrodynamic profile encapsulation method using ultra-thin surface-mounted micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) fibre-optic Fabry–Pérot pressure sensors (total thickness of 1 mm). The proposed sensor exhibits an exceptional linear response and low-temperature sensitivity in hydrostatic calibration tests and shows superior response and detection accuracy in water-entry tests of wedge-shaped bodies. This work exhibits significant potential for the in situ monitoring of hydrodynamic loads during water landing, contributing to the research of large amphibious aircraft. Furthermore, this research demonstrates, for the first time, the proposed surface-mounted pressure sensor in conjunction with a high-speed acquisition system for the in situ monitoring of hydrodynamic pressure on the hull of a large amphibious prototype. Following flight tests, the sensors remained intact throughout multiple high-speed hydrodynamic taxiing events and 12 full water landings, successfully acquiring the complete dataset. The flight test results show that this proposed pressure sensor exhibits superior robustness in extreme environments compared to traditional invasive electrical sensors and can be used for full-scale hydrodynamic load flight tests.
format Article
id doaj-art-324e675ee9dd417f92605f48b032eafb
institution DOAJ
issn 2304-6732
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Photonics
spelling doaj-art-324e675ee9dd417f92605f48b032eafb2025-08-20T03:08:02ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322025-06-0112762710.3390/photonics12070627A Study of Ultra-Thin Surface-Mounted MEMS Fibre-Optic Fabry–Pérot Pressure Sensors for the In Situ Monitoring of Hydrodynamic Pressure on the Hull of Large Amphibious AircraftTianyi Feng0Xi Chen1Ye Chen2Bin Wu3Fei Xu4Lingcai Huang5AVIC General Huanan Aircraft Industry Co., Ltd., Zhuhai 519040, ChinaNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, ChinaMIIT Key Laboratory of Aerospace Information Materials and Physics, State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control for Aerospace Structures, College of Physics, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, ChinaAviation Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on High-Speed Hydrodynamic, China Special Vehicle Research Institute, Jingmen 448035, ChinaNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, ChinaAVIC General Huanan Aircraft Industry Co., Ltd., Zhuhai 519040, ChinaHydrodynamic slamming loads during water landing are one of the main concerns for the structural design and wave resistance performance of large amphibious aircraft. However, current existing sensors are not used for full-scale hydrodynamic load flight tests on complex models due to their large size, fragility, intrusiveness, limited range, frequency response limitations, accuracy issues, and low sampling frequency. Fibre-optic sensors’ small size, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and reduced susceptibility to environmental disturbances have led to their progressive development in maritime and aeronautic fields. This research proposes a novel hydrodynamic profile encapsulation method using ultra-thin surface-mounted micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) fibre-optic Fabry–Pérot pressure sensors (total thickness of 1 mm). The proposed sensor exhibits an exceptional linear response and low-temperature sensitivity in hydrostatic calibration tests and shows superior response and detection accuracy in water-entry tests of wedge-shaped bodies. This work exhibits significant potential for the in situ monitoring of hydrodynamic loads during water landing, contributing to the research of large amphibious aircraft. Furthermore, this research demonstrates, for the first time, the proposed surface-mounted pressure sensor in conjunction with a high-speed acquisition system for the in situ monitoring of hydrodynamic pressure on the hull of a large amphibious prototype. Following flight tests, the sensors remained intact throughout multiple high-speed hydrodynamic taxiing events and 12 full water landings, successfully acquiring the complete dataset. The flight test results show that this proposed pressure sensor exhibits superior robustness in extreme environments compared to traditional invasive electrical sensors and can be used for full-scale hydrodynamic load flight tests.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/627large amphibious aircraftmicro-electromechanical systems (MEMSs)Fabry–Pérotpressure sensorshydrodynamic pressure monitoringwater-entry test
spellingShingle Tianyi Feng
Xi Chen
Ye Chen
Bin Wu
Fei Xu
Lingcai Huang
A Study of Ultra-Thin Surface-Mounted MEMS Fibre-Optic Fabry–Pérot Pressure Sensors for the In Situ Monitoring of Hydrodynamic Pressure on the Hull of Large Amphibious Aircraft
Photonics
large amphibious aircraft
micro-electromechanical systems (MEMSs)
Fabry–Pérot
pressure sensors
hydrodynamic pressure monitoring
water-entry test
title A Study of Ultra-Thin Surface-Mounted MEMS Fibre-Optic Fabry–Pérot Pressure Sensors for the In Situ Monitoring of Hydrodynamic Pressure on the Hull of Large Amphibious Aircraft
title_full A Study of Ultra-Thin Surface-Mounted MEMS Fibre-Optic Fabry–Pérot Pressure Sensors for the In Situ Monitoring of Hydrodynamic Pressure on the Hull of Large Amphibious Aircraft
title_fullStr A Study of Ultra-Thin Surface-Mounted MEMS Fibre-Optic Fabry–Pérot Pressure Sensors for the In Situ Monitoring of Hydrodynamic Pressure on the Hull of Large Amphibious Aircraft
title_full_unstemmed A Study of Ultra-Thin Surface-Mounted MEMS Fibre-Optic Fabry–Pérot Pressure Sensors for the In Situ Monitoring of Hydrodynamic Pressure on the Hull of Large Amphibious Aircraft
title_short A Study of Ultra-Thin Surface-Mounted MEMS Fibre-Optic Fabry–Pérot Pressure Sensors for the In Situ Monitoring of Hydrodynamic Pressure on the Hull of Large Amphibious Aircraft
title_sort study of ultra thin surface mounted mems fibre optic fabry perot pressure sensors for the in situ monitoring of hydrodynamic pressure on the hull of large amphibious aircraft
topic large amphibious aircraft
micro-electromechanical systems (MEMSs)
Fabry–Pérot
pressure sensors
hydrodynamic pressure monitoring
water-entry test
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/627
work_keys_str_mv AT tianyifeng astudyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT xichen astudyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT yechen astudyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT binwu astudyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT feixu astudyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT lingcaihuang astudyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT tianyifeng studyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT xichen studyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT yechen studyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT binwu studyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT feixu studyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft
AT lingcaihuang studyofultrathinsurfacemountedmemsfibreopticfabryperotpressuresensorsfortheinsitumonitoringofhydrodynamicpressureonthehulloflargeamphibiousaircraft