Acoustic Emission Techniques in Corrosion Monitoring

Acoustic Emission Techniques in Corrosion Monitoring
Monitoring of 13% Cr Martensitic Stainless Steel Corrosion

in Chloride Solution in Presence of Thiosulphate by Acoust
ic Emission Technique
Luigi Calabrese, Massimiliano Galeano, Edoardo Proverbio, Domenico Di

Pietro, Filippo Cappuccini, Angelo Donato
Corrosion Science, Volume 111
October 2016
Pages 151-161
Summary
• Calabrese et al. studied a martensitic stainless steel which was tested in a

chloride solution in presence of thiosulphate ions.
• The pit growth mechanism was observed to change during time.
• The acoustic emission source localisation along the specimen length

allowed for the identification of different damage mechanisms.
• The acoustic emission technique allowed for the identification of specific

parameter values for the different damage mechanisms.
Materials

• Specimens for corrosion tests were made of X12Cr13 (UNS S41000)
martensitic stainless steel with the following chemical wt% composition:
Fe C Mn Si P S Cr Ni
0.00
Balance 0.13 0.43 0.29 0.02 1 12.18 0.21
• Specimens were made in accordance to NACE TM077 method A, machined

from a forging disk with gauge section diameter 3.81mm and length 15mm.
Experimental Method
•
Specimens tested in open circuit potential condition under tensile stress
by means of a dead weight type machine.
𝜎
𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑒 = 80% of 0.2% Yield Stress .
• A modified NACE TM0177 standard solution was used in a corrosion test

at room temperature with the following chemical composition distilled in
water (final pH 3.2):
NaCl CH3COOH Na2S2O3

5 wt% 2.5 wt% 0.01M
Experimental Method

• The test solution was continuously deareated by nitrogen gas bubbling until
acoustic emission recording started, whereby the test cell was then sealed to
avoid air inlet.
• The open circuit potential of the specimens after 5 min from immersion was
measured at approximately −0.600 VAg/AgCl.
• At the end of the test the open circuit potential was more anodic and stabilized at
approximately −0.540 VAg/AgCl.
Experimental Method: Acoustic Emission Setup
• Acoustic emission signals were recorded by a 10-channel Vallen AMSY-5 measurement system for duration
of the experiment.
• The experimental setup is shown here:

• The AE sensors were VS150-M type piezoelectric transducers suitable for metal integrity
testing operating within the 100–450 kHz frequency range with resonance at 150 kHz.
• The following parameters were set:
 Thresholds of amplitude and rise-time parameters were set at 26.7 dB and 0.4 μs
respectively.
 The rearm time was fixed at 3.2 ms.
 The duration discrimination time was set at 400 μs,
 The amplification was set at 34 dB with a bandwidth (−3 dB) from 2.5 kHz to 1 MHz.
• Several experimentations were performed under the described condition, showing similar
outcomes; however, the results of only a few experiments were reported.
• Several experiments were intentionally stopped after 200–250 h in order to evaluate the
extension of corrosion damage at an intermediate stage .
Experimental Results
• All specimens failed in a time range between 300 and 400 h.
• Pitting corrosion was observed on the stainless steel sample under tensile load.
• As pit size increased, stress concentrations effects became significant.

End of Test
t = 250h
(Failure)
• AE monitoring allowed to distinguish different damage mechanisms
characterized by specific AE parameters.
Cumulative AE hits plot versus time evidencing the quiescence phase between 200 and 300 h.
• Hit duration, hit rise time, burst average frequency, crack index and hit
energy were identified as the most relevant parameters in damage
mechanism identification.
• FeS scale build up and hydrogen evolutions were the most energetic
AE sources during the first stage of corrosion test.
• Localization of AE events
along specimen length vs
time. Position values were
calculated starting from the
top AE sensor.
• Bubble diameters and

bubble colour code refer to:
(a) hit energy normalized
values; (b) hit rise-time
normalized values; (c) hit
duration normalized values
Bubble diameters and bubble colour code refer to d) hit average frequency
normalized values; (e) hit crack-index normalized values.
Conclusions
• AE source localisation allowed identification of pit initiation and

growth as phenomena characterised by low duration, low rise-time and low
energy hits.
• Higher duration and energy hits have been related to crack opening
mechanisms anticipating the final failure.
Monitoring of chloride stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless

steel: identification of the phases of the corrosion process and use of a
modified accelerated test
Fabienne Delaunois, Alexis Tshimombo, Victor Stanciu, Véronique Vitry
September 2016
Pages 273 - 283

Summary
• Delaunois et al. presented a novel accelerated test for chloride stress

corrosion cracking designed for austenitic stainless steel.
• Current density and applied load were monitored during corrosion tests.
• Novel chloride stress corrosion cracking test was validated by acoustic

emission.
Materials
• Chloride stress corrosion cracking (CSCC) tests were performed on:
• Austenitic stainless AISI 304L steel wires of dimensions Diameter = 3 mm

and Length = 300 mm.
• Austentitic stainless AISI 304L steel rods with a diameter = 6 mm and an
active length = 40 mm.
• Steel wires were chosen to allow comparison with results from AE literature.
Materials
• Silicon carbide paper was used to wet grind all specimens up to 4000 grit ,
before specimens were cleaned with de-ionized water and then rinsed
with acetone.
• Specimens for the SCSC had the following chemical composition:

Chemical composition (wt.%) SS wires SS rods
C 0.03 0.02
Mn 1.45 2.06
Si 0.49 0.18
Ni 8.39 8.13
Cr 18.55 17.92
Mo 0.31 0.01
Fe 70.85 71.68
Experimental Method
• A stress ring was used to perform stress corrosion cracking, consisting of a tensile strength
apparatus that facilitated a fixed tensile load.
• A Pyrex glass corrosion cell was used to enclose the samples.
• The tensile stress applied by the stress ring in the beginning of the test is
fixed at .
• This corresponded to 80% of UTS of the specimen material.

Experimental Method
• CSCC experiments were performed in a 3 wt% NaCl solution at 60 °C. The solution was prepared with
distilled water.
• Electrochemical tests were carried out using a Parstat 2273 potentiostat equipped with a frequency
response analyser.
• A three-electrode assembly was used:
1. The sample was the working electrode;

2. The counter-electrode was a platinum mesh;
3. The reference electrode was either a saturated calomel electrode or a Ag/AgCl-KCl saturated (the
results were normalised and presented against standard hydrogen electrode so as to allow
comparison of results obtained with both references).
• A settling time of 15 min was observed to allow stabilisation of the open circuit potential prior to
straining. Samples were then exposed at the desired potential, waiting for the currents to reach stability.
During the experiment, the current and load evolution was recorded until sample failure occurred.
• After each CSCC test, both the corroded surfaces and the fracture surfaces were observed by optical
microscopy and SEM.
• The AE instrument consisted of a transducer, a preamplifier and an acquisition system, measuring

waveform, number of events, hits, energy, etc.
• The transducers used were resonant R15D type from PAC (Piezo-electric disks), which have high
sensitivity suitable for metal integrity testing, operating in a bandwidth of 20–1000 kHz.
• The following parameters were set:
 Thresholds of amplitude parameters was set at 29 dB

 The AE signal was amplified by a preamplifier set at a gain of 40 dB
 The sampling frequency for data acquisition was 4 MHz.
• The acquisition system was computer-controlled by a computer, with the waveforms and the
characteristic acoustic parameters (events, amplitude, rise time, counts number, duration) were
computer-controlled upon detected. The obtained signals were analyzed with Noesis™ 5.0
software
• A minimum of 3 experiments were performed.

• Microscopic observations of the

general aspect and fracture surfaces
of specimens damaged by CSCC in
3 wt% NaCl at 60 °C (steel wire
stretched to 80% of UTS) are shown
in (a) crack initiation caused by pitting
and (b) Crack propagation in mode I–
II.
• Microscopic observation of cross

section (left) and surface (right) of a pit
present on the surface of a specimen
damaged by CSCC in 3 wt% NaCl at
60 °C (steel rod stretched to 80% of
UTS).
• The analysis and classification of signals shows that the amplitude and rise time are the most relevant
parameters of the acoustic signature associated with this damage phenomenon.
• The coupling of acoustic emission and electrochemical measurements revealed a good correlation
between acoustic activity and corrosion and made it possible to characterize the degradation of the
material.
• The results of the novel accelerated test carried out on AISI 304L show the presence of various stages
of corrosion as in conventional accelerated CSCC tests, that can lead to the validation of this novel
laboratory test.
• The study of current density and of stress evolution during CSCC tests confirms the presence of
various stages in the corrosion process.
• Microscopic observations show that rupture propagation begins in mode I and evolves towards a
mixed I–II mode before failure.
• The stress evolution during the test can be linked to the current density evolution. The various stages
observed in the curves are due to the creation of pitting initiation sites, and to the pits and cracks
propagation.
Evolution of the amplitude of the AE signals as a function of time in 3 wt% NaCl at 60 °C for a steel wire
stretched to 80% of UTS.
Evolution of acoustic activity and current density (above) and Amplitude in dB (below) during immersion in 3 wt% NaCl at 60 °C for a
steel wire stretched to 80% of UTS
• Typical AE waveforms associated with stages:
 I (a)
 II (b)
 III (c)
 breakdown (d)
• Corresponding FFT results associated

with stages:
 I (e)
 II (f)
 III (g)
 breakdown (h)
• The recorded AE signals can be attributed to

CSCC. The recording of burst signals were
attributed to the crack initiation and/or propagation
and continuous signals were caused by plastic
deformation.
• 2D plots of the AE signals are shown
opposite.
• Statistical analysis showed that signals in the

30–50 dB range were dominant throughout
the test.
• Signals in the 50–60 dB range are attributed

to the initiation of cracks at the bottom of pits.
Their counts were in general lower than 150.
• Signals > 60 dB with a lower rise time and

energy above 150 counts were associated
with intergranular cracking, whose
propagation led to the failure of the specimen
• Signals combined with low

energy and relatively long rise
time of > 500 microseconds are
characteristic of hydrogen
bubbles release due to the
spread of pitting.
Evolution of the amplitude of the AE signals as a function of time in 3 wt% NaCl at 60 °C
Conclusions
• The analysis and classification of signals showed that the amplitude and rise time
are the most relevant parameters of the acoustic signature associated with this
damage phenomenon. The coupling of acoustic emission and electrochemical
measurements revealed a good correlation between acoustic activity and corrosion
and made it possible to characterize the degradation of the material.
In-situ monitoring of pitting corrosion on vertically positioned 304 stainless steel by

analyzing acoustic-emission energy parameter
Wu Kaige, Jung Woo-Sang and Byeon Jai-Won
April 2016
Pages 8-16
Summary
• Kaige et al. analysed acoustic emission (AE) energy to monitor the pitting
process on a vertically positioned 304-stainless steel.
• The gravity-dependent morphology of the elongated corrosion pits was observed.
• Two AE clusters with different energy levels were suggested from a scatter plot of
the duration and energy.
• Hydrogen bubble evolution and pit covers rupturing were separately monitored by
AE.
• An in-situ analysis of the AE energy evolution provided thorough insight into the
corrosion process vis-à-vis the specimen position.
Materials and specimen preparation
• A commercial sheet of 304 stainless steel was used for this investigation, of the following
composition:
0.07 mass% C, 0.55 mass% Si, 2.00 mass% Mn, 18.19 mass% Cr, 8.07 mass% Ni,
0.02 mass% P, and 0.03 mass% S.
• The specimens’ dimensions were 75 mm × 15 mm × 2 mm and all were wet-ground using
up to No. 1500 sand paper, followed by polishing from 6 to 1 μm using a diamond gel.
• The surface of each specimen was masked with tape (3 M electroplating/anodizing Tape
484 L) so as to provide a desired exposed surface area of 12 mm × 12 mm.
• To prevent crevice corrosion, a fast-curing epoxy was applied to expose a surface area of
10 mm × 10 mm
Experimental Procedure
• In attempting to study the AE behavior during the pitting process on a vertical

surface, the specimen was positioned vertically in the test solution.
• A salt bridge was utilised to eliminate the effect of the H2 gas bubbling on the
counter electrode during the test via placing the counter electrode in a neighbouring
corrosion test cell.
• A wideband AE sensor was mounted on the specimen with an ultrasonic couplant;

the other end of the sensor was connected to the AE system via a preamplifier set
at 40 dB.
• The AE signal and various parameters were collected using an acquisition device.
• The threshold value was set at 27 dB, after careful determination.

Schematic of Experimental Apparatus

• An anodic polarization using the potentiodynamic method was applied to control the
pitting corrosion process at room temperature.
• The potential was measured against a reference saturated Ag/AgCl/NaCl (3 M)

electrode. A potentiostat/galvanostat system was used in conjunction with a coiled
platinum-wire counter electrode in the secondary cell.
• Corrosion tests were performed in low- and high-concentration NaCl solutions --

0.5 mass% and 2.5 mass%, respectively -- which were acidified to an initial pH
of 2 through the use of HCl.
• Once the open-circuit potential stabilised, after immersion in solution, the

specimen was positively polarized from the open-circuit potential at a scan rate of
0.4 mV/s.
• Scanning electron microscopy was used to inspect the pit morphology before and
after the corrosion testing.
• Integrated pit morphologies of
the specimens after the anodic
polarization testing in (a) the low-
and (b) high-concentration
solutions.
• The occurrence of pitting

corrosion after the anodic
polarization tests was
demonstrated.
• Morphologies of the pits under

the different concentrations was
distinguishable.
• Pitting corrosion severity

increased at a higher
concentration of Cl −
• Here, the evolution of the AE signals and the

polarization curve of the 304 SS during the anodic
potentiodynamic polarization process for different
concentrations of the NaCl solution are shown
• Once the applied potential surpassed the pitting

potential (Ep), the current density increased abruptly
indicating passive film deteriorated and pit growth.
• After the acoustical activation, the AE signals generally

increased as the pitting process continued.
• A cross-plot of the AE parameters is

shown.
• For 0.5 mass% NaCl solution, all the

signals cluster below 7.0 × 10−18 J
• For 2.5 mass% NaCl solution,

signals with energy values higher
than 7.0 × 10−18 J were also detected.
• The AE signals could hence be

classified into two clusters: low-
energy cluster 1, and high-energy
cluster 2.
• Typical AE waveforms for the low- and high-energy clusters detected
during the tests in different solutions are shown.
• Continuous and burst signals could be designated based on their

time-domain features. The continuous waveform demonstrated many
sub-peaks before and after reaching the peak; the burst waveform
rose to the peak rapidly followed by a quick decay to the background
noise level.
• Generally, the waveform can reflect much information related to the

AE source and very similar waveforms could be generated from the
same kind of source.
• Therefore, the signals from the pitting corrosion in the 0.5 mass%
NaCl solution shared the same source as the low-energy signals from
the pitting corrosion in the 2.5 mass% NaCl solution .
• To identify the AE source and match the
detected AE signals to the different
pitting stages, the AE signals of the low-
and high-energy clusters in the 2.5
mass% NaCl solution were tracked
separately.
• Here, the anodic polarization curve and

evolution of the cumulative AE energy
for each AE cluster is shown, with
activity clearly divided into four stages:
AE stages I, II, III, and IV.
• AE stage I: the period of the time
delay.
• AE stage II: the time from the first

detection of the low-energy signals
to the first detection of the high-
energy signals.
• AE stage III: the AE signals appear

to be a mix of low- and high-energy
signals.
• AE stage IV: the increase in the

cumulative energy of AE cluster 2
has ceased.
• The AE signals originating from the

low-energy cluster were the only
signals remaining in this stage.
• In order to validate the AE activity,

several repeated trials were
performed.
• During these trials, the tests were

started from the open-circuit
potential and interrupted at one of
the afore mentioned AE stages.
• Following each test, the typical

morphology of the pits was
immediately inspected using SEM
observations, shown opposite.
Conclusions
1. The pitting shape on vertically positioned 304 SS electrodes was asymmetric and elongated under the
disturbance of gravity. AE signals were detected a short time after the pitting commenced. The AE
signals signals increased as the pitting progressed.
2. Two clusters of AE signals were detected based on the absolute energy. The AE signals of the
low-energy cluster (0.031–6.46 × 10−18 J) were predominantly continuous signals, whereas those of
the high-energy clusters (7.93–11.50 × 10−18 J) were predominantly burst signals.
3. The low-energy signals were believed to originate from the hydrogen-bubble evolution inside the pits,
and the high-energy signals were attributed to the rupturing of the pit covers during the pit growth.
4. The AE parameter of absolute energy seemed to effectively classify different pitting steps. The
correlation between the AE signals and pitting progress for a vertically positioned specimen was well
founded based on separately monitoring the low- and high-energy AE signals. Thus, the potential of
the in-situ evaluation of the pitting mechanism by monitoring the AE-energy was verified.
Detection and characterization of stainless steel SCC by the analysis of crack related ac
oustic emission
Jaka Kovač, Andraž Legat, Bojan Zajec, Tadeja Kosec and Edvard Govekar
Ultrasonics, Volume 62
September 2015
Pages 312 - 322

Summary
• In the paper the results of the acoustic emission (AE) based detection and characterization of stress-
corrosion cracking (SCC) in stainless steel are presented.
• As supportive methods for AE interpretation, electrochemical noise, specimen elongation

measurements, and digital imaging of the specimen surface were used.
• Based on the defined qualitative and quantitative time and power spectra characteristics of the AE
bursts, a manual and an automatic procedure for the detection of crack related AE bursts were
introduced.
• The results of the analysis of the crack related AE bursts indicate that the AE method is capable of
detecting large scale cracks, where, apart from intergranular crack propagation, also some small
ductile fractures occur.
• The sizes of the corresponding ductile fracture areas can be estimated based on a relative
comparison of the energies of the detected AE bursts. It has also been shown that AE burst time and
power spectra features can be successfully used for the automatic detection of SCC.
• The specimens were made of austenitic stainless steel of type AISI 304.
• The plates had a thickness of 2 mm, and were 12 mm wide and 280 mm long. For the purpose of crack
initiation and location, they had semi-circular notches with a radius 8 mm at the mid-length.
• The distance between the notch centre and the centre of each AE sensor was approximately 100 mm.
The material was sensitised prior to specimen production in order to increase the susceptibility of the
material to intergranular stress corrosion cracking.
• For this purpose the steel was heated to 1050 °C in a vacuum, maintained at this temperature for 1 h,
and then quenched in oil. It was then re-heated to 650 °C in a vacuum, maintained at this temperature
for 24 h, and cooled down to room temperature in the open air.
• The obtained microstructure of the material was austenitic, with no dominant orientation of the crystal
structure, after sensitisation.
• The yield stress of the tested material was determined to be 230 MPa; the ultimate tensile stress was
650 MPa.
• In order to develop to intergranular stress corrosion cracking, the specimen was sealed inside the
corrosion cell, which was filled with an aqueous solution of 0.5 M sodium thiosulphate (Na2S2O3) at
20 °C.
• The corrosion cell, shown opposite, was
designed for the detection of AE during SCC
degradation processes on the specimen.
• In order to incite SCC during the experiment,

the specimens were loaded by a chosen
static tensile force, F.
• For the detection of AE, two equal wide-band

piezoelectric based sensors with an operating
frequency in the range of 20 kHz–1 MHz were
used.
• The peak sensitivity of the sensors was 45 dB

versus reference 1 V/(m/s) and −85 dB
versus the reference 1 V/1 μbar.
• The sensors were fixed in a symmetrical
fashion to the semi-circular notch out of the
corrosion cell, one to the top and the other to
the bottom of the specimen, Amplification of
the detected signals was set to 40 dB.
• The signals were transferred to a PCI-2

based AE A/D monitoring system. The AE
signals were sampled at a frequency of
1 MHz.
• A high-pass frequency filter with a cut-off

frequency of 1 kHz and a low-pass frequency
filter with a cut-off frequency of 1 MHz was
used to increase the AE signal to noise ratio
• For a comprehensive SCC characterisation
and interpretation of SCC-related AE signals,
the corrosion cell was equipped with a set of
two auxiliary reference electrodes for
electrochemical noise (EN) measurements.
• The exposed surface of each reference

electrode is equal to that of working electrode
and measures 50 mm2.
• The experimental setup was equipped with a

sensor for measurements of specimen
elongation and a system for the digital
imaging of the specimen surface.
• The EN data were collected using a

sampling rate of 10 Hz, with a resolution
of the measured current of 30 pA, and a
resolution of the measured potential of
15 μV.
• Digital imaging of the specimen surface

was performed via use of a digital CCD
camera. The rate of image capture was
one image / minute.
• Specimen elongation was measured by

an inductive probe with a sampling
frequency of 5 Hz and a resolution of
0.4 μm.
• During the experiment, the specimens

were loaded by the static tensile force F.
• The loading machine stood on a rubber

support plate so as to damped unwanted
vibrations and aided electrical isolation
from the surrounding.
• Several experiments were performed,

where the specimens were loaded up to
different constant load levels up to 50%
of the material’s UTS.
• In some cases the load level was

increased during experiment.
• The performed experiments, with the applied load levels expressed as a percentage of the specimens’
tensile strength, are shown here:
List of the performed experiments, the applied load levels, and the time of the specimen failure.
No. Applied stress σ (at time t) Time to failure of

the specimen
1 yielding strength Rp0.2=35% tensile strength Rm (0h)–45% of the tensile strength Rm 29h
(15h)–50% of the tensile strength Rm (25h)
2 50% tensile strength (0h) 2.5h

3 29% of the yield strength Rp0.2=10% of the tensile strength Rm (0h)–43% of the yield 194h
strength Rp0.2=15% of the tensile strength Rm (97h)–63% of the yield strength
Rp0.2=22% of the tensile strength Rm (163h)–110% of the yield strength Rp0.2=40% of
the tensile strength Rm (186h)–50% of the tensile strength Rm (189h)
4 40% of the tensile strength Rm (0h) 1.3h

5 40% of the tensile strength Rm (0h)–50% of the tensile strength Rm (100h) 103h
• Examples of different detected AE
signals detected:
a) During crack propagation.
b) During crack propagation.
c) During failure of the specimen.
d) Before the cracks were

developed.
e) During loading of the specimen.
f) During crack propagation.

• Frequency Spectra:
a) During crack propagation.
b) During crack propagation.
c) During failure of the specimen.
d) Before the cracks were

developed.
e) During loading of the specimen.
f) During crack propagation.

• AE bursts were presumed to have been caused by events related to SCC and
were hence selected to analyse and characterise the SSC process.
• From AE signals in time and frequency domain, two different procedures of

noise signals filtering were proposed in order to select the SCC process-related
AE signals from the complete set of acquired AE signals.
• The left branch of the block • The right branch of the
diagram presents manual block diagram an
filtering of the AE signals, automatic, a method for AE
based on the visually signal amplitude and
observed AE waveform average frequency based
characteristics. filtering is presented.
• (a) – (d) show the results over the

time interval of the experiment of 10
and 30 h:
a) The change in the applied stress

over time,
b) The maximum amplitude and

cumulative number of the AE
bursts,
c) The measured elongation of the

specimen Δl.
d) The potential U and current I of the

electrochemical noise.
• (e) – (g) show selected

characteristics of the AE signals for
the last two hours of the experiment.
e) Energy.
f) Duration.
g) Average frequency.
• Investigation into the ability of AE signals to estimate the presence and

intensity of these processes such as ductile fractures during crack growth
and specimen failure were performed.
• It was assumed that AE signals acquired during crack propagation, as well as

those which occur during failure, were from ductile fracture.
• Analysis showed that the fracture surface of the specimen was approximately 60% predominantly
intergranular, caused by SCC (a).
• The rest of the final fracture surface was ductile, caused by overloading of the specimen due to the
reduced cross-section.
• In the predominantly intergranular part of the fracture surface some small ductile areas were also observed (b).
• It was suggested that these areas developed due to the ductile fracture of ligaments which stayed behind the
intergranular advancing crack tip, at more resistant grain boundaries.
• There was indication that these AE signals could be related to the ductile fracture process , as the number of small
ductile areas observed were roughly the same as the number of AE signals detected during the post filtering
procedure.
• The energy of the detected AE signals EAE was used for estimation of the size of the ductile
fracture area.
• In the case of considered herein, the average energy of the AE signals was estimated to be 1.2
10−1 pJ.
• The sum of the energy of all the AE signals captured during specimen failure was approximately
1 nJ.
• The size of the ductile area of the final fracture surface was estimated to be 3 mm 2 – taken from
the SEM analysis of the fracture surface.
• The average size of an individual ductile fracture area was then estimated as:
• This estimate was in approximate agreement with the sizes of individual ductile
areas observed by SEM analysis.
• The average size of an individual ductile fracture area was estimated as between
1 x 10−4 mm 2 to 1 x 10−3 mm 2.
• Thus, the results demonstrated the ability to use AE to estimate the size of the
ductile fracture areas.
Conclusions
• It was shown that there are noteworthy differences between the characteristics of SCC
related and crack non related AE signals, apparent in the waveforms and in the
corresponding power spectra characteristics of the detected AE signals.
• Analysis of the SCC-related AE signals showed that the AE method is able to detect larger
cracks in the case when some small ductile fractures also occur (not including intergranular
propagation). It was shown that these ductile fractures are the source of the detected
acoustics emission waves.
• The size of corresponding ductile fracture area can be estimated based on a relative
comparison of the energies of the detected AE signal.
• Based on the presented results it can be concluded that AE can be successfully used for
SCC detection and characterization in the later phase of this process.

Acoustic Emission Techniques in Corrosion Monitoring

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Acoustic Emission Techniques in Corrosion Monitoring

Monitoring of 13% Cr Martensitic Stainless Steel Corrosion

Luigi Calabrese, Massimiliano Galeano, Edoardo Proverbio, Domenico Di

Corrosion Science, Volume 111

• Calabrese et al. studied a martensitic stainless steel which was tested in a

• The pit growth mechanism was observed to change during time.

• The acoustic emission source localisation along the specimen length

• The acoustic emission technique allowed for the identification of specific

Acoustic Emission Techniques in Corrosion Monitoring

• Specimens were made in accordance to NACE TM077 method A, machined

• A modified NACE TM0177 standard solution was used in a corrosion test

NaCl CH3COOH Na2S2O3

Acoustic Emission Techniques in Corrosion Monitoring

Experimental Method: Acoustic Emission Setup

• The experimental setup is shown here:

• The following parameters were set:

• All specimens failed in a time range between 300 and 400 h.

• As pit size increased, stress concentrations effects became significant.

• Bubble diameters and

• AE source localisation allowed identification of pit initiation and

Monitoring of chloride stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless

Fabienne Delaunois, Alexis Tshimombo, Victor Stanciu, Véronique Vitry

Corrosion Science, Volume 110

Pages 273 - 283

• Delaunois et al. presented a novel accelerated test for chloride stress

• Novel chloride stress corrosion cracking test was validated by acoustic

• Chloride stress corrosion cracking (CSCC) tests were performed on:

• Austenitic stainless AISI 304L steel wires of dimensions Diameter = 3 mm

• Specimens for the SCSC had the following chemical composition:

• A Pyrex glass corrosion cell was used to enclose the samples.

• This corresponded to 80% of UTS of the specimen material.

• A three-electrode assembly was used:

1. The sample was the working electrode;

• The AE instrument consisted of a transducer, a preamplifier and an acquisition system, measuring

• The following parameters were set:

 Thresholds of amplitude parameters was set at 29 dB

• A minimum of 3 experiments were performed.

• Microscopic observations of the

• Microscopic observation of cross

• Corresponding FFT results associated

• The recorded AE signals can be attributed to

• Statistical analysis showed that signals in the

• Signals in the 50–60 dB range are attributed

• Signals > 60 dB with a lower rise time and

• Signals combined with low

In-situ monitoring of pitting corrosion on vertically positioned 304 stainless steel by

Wu Kaige, Jung Woo-Sang and Byeon Jai-Won

Corrosion Science, Volume 105

• The gravity-dependent morphology of the elongated corrosion pits was observed.

• In attempting to study the AE behavior during the pitting process on a vertical

• A wideband AE sensor was mounted on the specimen with an ultrasonic couplant;

• The threshold value was set at 27 dB, after careful determination.

Schematic of Experimental Apparatus

• The potential was measured against a reference saturated Ag/AgCl/NaCl (3 M)

• Corrosion tests were performed in low- and high-concentration NaCl solutions --

• Once the open-circuit potential stabilised, after immersion in solution, the

• The occurrence of pitting

• Morphologies of the pits under

• Pitting corrosion severity

• Here, the evolution of the AE signals and the

• Once the applied potential surpassed the pitting

• After the acoustical activation, the AE signals generally

• A cross-plot of the AE parameters is