The ForeSight™ Fiber Optic Distributed Strain and Temperature Sensor (DSTS) with BOTDR module from OZ Optics is a high‑performance Brillouin-based monitoring platform designed for long-distance, single-ended structural and environmental measurements. Leveraging spontaneous Brillouin Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (BOTDR), this system transforms standard single mode telecommunications fiber into a dense array of virtual sensors, capable of monitoring strain and temperature continuously along tens of kilometers of fiber. With spatial resolution as fine as 1 meter and sensing ranges up to 70 km per channel, it offers a powerful combination of detail and coverage for mission-critical infrastructure across energy, civil engineering, and geohazard applications.

Unlike point sensors that provide localized measurements only where a device is installed, the BOTDR-based ForeSight™ DSTS measures Brillouin backscatter along the full fiber length to derive a continuous strain and temperature profile. This distributed approach allows users to detect subtle changes such as developing cracks, ground movement, leaks, or thermal anomalies before they escalate into failures. Because the measurement is single-ended, access is required only from one side of the fiber, which greatly simplifies deployment in pipelines, subsea cables, tunnels, wells, and other locations where dual-end access is not practical. Even if the fiber is damaged or broken, the system continues to provide valid, high-resolution measurements right up to the break point, significantly improving resilience and diagnostic capability during fault events.

The ForeSight™ DSTS BOTDR module is engineered around standard low-cost single mode telecom fiber, making it straightforward to integrate into existing fiber routes or to design into new builds without specialized optical cable. In comparison with distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems based on Raman scattering and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems based on Rayleigh, Brillouin DSTS adds direct strain measurement with high accuracy alongside temperature monitoring. Typical performance includes temperature accuracy on the order of ±0.8 °C and strain accuracy on the order of tens of microstrain (με), enabling operators to correlate structural loading, deformation, and thermal behavior at a granularity suitable for advanced asset management and predictive maintenance strategies.

For oil and gas operators, the system provides reliable long-distance monitoring for pipelines, wellbores, and refineries. Installed along pipelines, the distributed strain and temperature data can be used to identify leaks, localized deformation, ground movement, and thermal anomalies over distances up to 70 km per channel, with sufficient spatial resolution to pinpoint the affected region for rapid intervention. In wells, the system supports integrity management through continuous profiling of temperature and strain, helping to reveal casing deformation, fluid movement, or pressure-related effects when used with appropriate sensing cables. In refineries, distributed temperature profiling contributes to process optimization, improved thermal balancing, and early detection of abnormal conditions that could impact efficiency, safety, or uptime.

In large civil structures, the ForeSight™ DSTS BOTDR module delivers comprehensive structural health monitoring capabilities across dams, bridges, tunnels, retaining walls, and foundations. When embedded in or attached to concrete, rock, soil, or structural steel, the fiber captures distributed strain and temperature patterns associated with crack formation, seepage, sediment build-up, or deformation. This continuous, full-length view enables engineers to move from periodic inspections to continuous condition-based assessment, extending asset life and enhancing safety. The ability to monitor up to 70 km per channel with meter-level spatial resolution makes the system especially well-suited to long dams, levees, and extended civil works where conventional point sensors would be impractical or cost-prohibitive.

The system is equally effective in geotechnical and geohazard monitoring scenarios. Installed along slopes, embankments, levees, or road and rail corridors, the BOTDR-based sensor reveals patterns of landslide initiation, subsidence, or ground deformation over time. Subtle cumulative strain changes are often the earliest indicators of instability; by mapping these changes continuously, stakeholders can track trends, define alarm thresholds, and plan mitigation measures well before catastrophic movement occurs. When integrated with specialized sensing cables or anchors, the fiber can be configured to capture both near-surface and deep-seated movements, supporting modern performance-based design and risk management methodologies.