Distributed fiber optic moisture intrusion sensing system

A method for detecting moisture intrusion in soil comprising the steps of:

• positioning in soil a linear element having a thickness and a length, said length being of a dimension greater than that of said thickness, said linear element comprising a distributed temperature sensing element coextensive with at least a portion of the length of said linear element,
• heating at least a portion of said soil, and
• measuring temperatures within said volume of soil, using said distributed temperature sensing element, to determine if temperature differences are apparent indicating presence of regions within said volume possibly having differing thermal conductance characteristics which respond differently to said heating.

A method of soil characterization comprising the steps of:

• identifying at least one region within a volume of said soil, which has a lower temperature than at least one other region within said volume of said soil;
• and
• defining said at least one region having a lower temperature as having potentially greater concentration of moisture as compared with other regions.