Acoustic EmmissionEmission

Introduction
• Acoustic Emissions are stress waves produced
by sudden movement in stressed materials.
• The classic sources of acoustic emissions are
defect-related deformation processes such as
crack growth and plastic deformation
 Basic Principle
• Most materials are not perfect; they contain
internal flaws such as micro-cracks, grain
boundaries and voids
• Potential energy in a stressed material can be
released by the movement of these flaws
• Each energy releasing event emits a packet of
waves called an acoustic emission event
 Basic Principle
• The waves in the acoustic emission event
travel to the surface of the material where
they can be detected by sensors such as
piezoelectric transducers
• The acoustic emission signal carries key
information about the behavior of structures
under load
Introduction
 Introduction
• The source of the acoustic emission energy is
the elastic stress field in the material. Without
stress, there is no emission.
• Inspection is usually carried out during a
controlled loading of the structure
 Relationship to Other Test Methods

• The signal has its origin in the material itself,

not in an external source.
• Acoustic emission detects movement, while
most other methods detect existing
geometrical discontinuities.
 Noise
• The sensitivity of an acoustic emission system is
often limited by the amount of background noise
• Undesirable signals detected by the sensors
include
– Frictional sources (e.g. loose bolts or movable
connectors that shift when exposed to wind loads)
– Impact sources (e.g. rain, flying objects or wind-
driven dust)
– Mechanical vibrations (e.g. pumps).
 Noise
• To compensate for the effects of background
noise,
– Fabricating special sensors with electronic gates
for noise blocking,
– Placing sensors as far away as possible from noise
sources,
– Electronic filtering (either using signal arrival times
or differences in the spectral content of true AE
signals and background noise)
ADVANTAGES OF ACOUSTIC EMISSION

• Vessels and other pressure systems can

often be requalified during an in-service
inspection that requires little or no
downtime.
• Discontinuities may he detected that are
inaccessible to the more traditional
nondestructive methods.
 Applications of AE
• Structures and Materials
– Once the characteristic acoustic emission
response has been defined, acoustic emission
tests can be used to evaluate the structural
integrity of a component.
 Applications of AE
• Pressure System Tests
– Pressure systems are stressed using hydrostatic or
some other pressure test.
– Bending loads can be introduced to beamed
structures.
– Tensional loads can be generated in rotary shafts.
– Thermal loading may be created locally.
 Applications of AE
• Kaiser Effect
– AE signals generated under different loading patterns
can provide valuable information concerning the
structural integrity of a material.
– Load levels that have been previously exerted on a
material do not produce AE activity.
– In other words, discontinuities created in a material
do not expand or move until that former stress is
exceeded. 
– Determination of maximum load experienced
 Applications of AE
• Kaiser Effect
– Load levels that have been previously exerted on a
material do not produce AE activity.
– In other words, discontinuities created in a
material do not expand or move until that former
stress is exceeded. 
– Determination of maximum load experienced
• Dunegan Corollary effect
• Felicity effect
THANK YOU