Patent ID: 7277162

Claim:
A method for determining the vibration characteristics of long slender structures using maximum bending strain measurements of said long slender structures subjected to dynamic disturbances imposed by water or wind generated dynamic loads, otherwise known as vortex induced vibrations (VIV), comprising: projecting laser light into a single or plurality of independent optical fiber(s) fastened at discrete locations along the longitudinal axis of said long slender structure; reflecting said projected laser light from optical reflective interfaces placed at discrete length segments along the length of each optical fiber in turn creating a reflected laser light data signal; collecting through a fiber optics or electronic data transmission link said reflected laser data signal; receiving and analyzing said collected laser light data signal at electronic optical signal monitoring instrumentation; determining critical bending strains within said discrete length segments along the length of said long slender structure; and calculating at least one of said vibration characteristics of said long slender structure from the determined critical bending strains in order to permit mitigation of damaging effects caused by VIV along said long slender structure through the use of corrective action.