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Ageing of materials and extreme events tend to damage structures, and ancient historical monuments are particularly vulnerable due to their age and long-term exposure to adverse events and influences. As an example, the wall paintings (frescoes) from the seventeenth century BCE found at the archaeological site of Akrotiri (Santorini, Greece) were recovered from volcanic ash in fragments with dimensions ranging from a few centimeters to a few decimeters. Identification of the fracturing patterns is helpful to the process of piecing together the fragments of frescos. Previous work has involved looking at fracturing patterns in frescos that have been reassembled. Recent work has looked at the process by which fractures develop. Current identification techniques involve experimental study of fracture development on plaster molds using a high-speed camera combined with sophisticated algorithms for pattern recognition. However, the use of a high-speed camera is challenging due to very demanding data processing and analysis and some inaccuracies in identification of fracture initialization generated by light conditions. This paper aims to evaluate whether or not short-gauge fiber optic sensors (FOS) based on Fiber Brag-Gratings (FBG), can be used to help identify the fracturing patterns of falling frescoes as a complement to high-speed cameras. In total four tests were performed using surface and embedded sensors on various plaster molds. The data taken by sensors installed on the surface of the mold were more complex to analyze and interpret than the data taken by embedded sensors, since the former reflected combined influence from fracture and bending. While their practicality is challenged by cost, moderately dense arrays of embedded FOS are found to be a plausible complement to the high speed-camera in the experiments.
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