27-11-2018

SCHOOL MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Department of Design and Automation

NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING (NDT)

Dr. S. RENOLD ELSEN

Acoustic emission

Radiation of acoustic (elastic) waves in solids that occurs when

a material undergoes irreversible changes in its internal
structure.

Acoustic Emission (AE) techniques have been studied in civil

engineering for a long time.

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Acoustic emission testinG

RelAtionship b/w stRess And

cRAck size
MODE I
𝝈𝒂𝟐 𝑽 ≥ 𝒉𝑿𝟓𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝒉𝑿

σ - Stress developed in the

a - the crack size
V - is the radial velocity of crack propagated
h – source to sensor distance
X – smallest distance detected by the sensor

σ, a, and V are the source parameter.

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RelAtionship b/w stRess &

phAse tRAnsfoRmAtion
• Austenite  Martensite + volume Change

Stress change ∆𝝈(𝒕) = 𝑰 + ∆𝑪𝑫 𝟏 [(𝑪 + ∆𝑪) 𝜷∗ − ∆𝑪𝜷𝒐 ] 𝒗(𝒕)

𝑰 − 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒙
𝑪 − 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆
𝑪 + ∆𝑪 − 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕 𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆
𝜷∗ − 𝑼𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆
𝜷𝟎 − 𝑷𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 /𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏
𝑫 − 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒙
𝑽 − 𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆

RelAtionship b/w stRess &

phAse tRAnsfoRmAtion
If change in stiffness due to transformation is very small (∆𝑪 ≪ 𝑪) and
no residual stress (𝜷𝟎 = 0)

∆𝝈(𝒕) = 𝑪𝜷∗ 𝒗(𝒕)

Change in the stress is due to shape change and volume of transform

phase.

The Change in the stress will give rises the Acoustic emission.

Further Change in the stress will be directly proportional to the intensity

of Acoustic emission.

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chARActeRistics of Ae siGnAl
Cover wide range of energy levels and frequencies.
TWO Classifications
1. Continuous emission – sustained signals from
rapidly occurring emissions events.
2. Burst type – signal burst in the field of continuous
emissions (Individual emission events)

chARActeRistics of Ae siGnAl
Radiation patters is same as ultrasonic waves.
Radiation of energy is done in all direction.
Some cases a crack of sufficient length it can
become Radiation of energy becomes directional.
Frequency is generally broadband
Received frequencies covers a wide range from
audible to 400 KHz or higher.

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RelAtion b/w loAd And Ae

The relation between previous loading history and AE event by Kaiser

and Felicity effects.
• The technique is used to monitory the moving defect.
• It is primarily applied for health monitoring.

Kaiser effects – No damage

Felicity effects – Damage

kAiseR effects

 Kaiser describes AE events for complete loading cycle.

Complete loading cycle – Load (threshold) + Unload + Reload

It states that “AE is not generated unless the previous

maximum load is exceeded”.

 The additional loading gives rise to AE events then structure

is declared to be safe for functionality.
 The loading gives rise to AE events before reaching the
previous maximum load then structure is declared to be
unsafe.

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felicity effects

• Emission that occur in the latter loading below the previous max load
is due to structural damage.

Occurrence of AE below the previous maximum load.

Felicity Ratio (Fr):- The ratio of existing load (Pe) at which the emission is
observer to the previous maximum load (Pmax) .

𝑷𝒆
𝑭𝒓 =
𝑷𝒎𝒂𝒙

conditions

• Fr ≥ 1 then there is no damage during the

interval between the two test.
• Fr < 1 then the existing load at which the
emission is developed is lower than the
previous maximum load then it indicated
cumulative/permanet damage.

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loAd Vs emission
E
Kaiser effects
C D
B
Cumulative emission

Load

loAd Vs emission
E
Felicity effects
C
B
Cumulative emission

D<B
A

Load

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loAd Vs emission
I
Load Hold
H
G<E
Felicity effects
Cumulative emission

F G E
Kaiser effects
D B
C

IH - The element is damaged and the emission

A continuous because the structure has become
unstable

Load

Ae siGnAl
Volts

threshold

Time

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Ae siGnAl pARAmeteRs

Threshold
Counts
Peak Amplitude
Duration
Rise time

thReshold

It is an used defined value in AE.

It is based on
the user
the materials

 The signal above threshold is considered as AE.

 The signal below threshold is considered as noise.

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counts

• It indicates the strength of AE sources.

• No of excursion/crossing above the threshold value.
• The peaks above the threshold line can be counted.

 It is a function of threshold and frequency

 It depends on the magnitude of the AE source
 It depends on the acoustic property of the sample.
 It depends on the acoustic property of the sensor.

Ae siGnAl
Volts

5 count
threshold

Time

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peAk Amplitude

• Highest measured voltage or amplitude in db (Ultrasonic waves)

Ae siGnAl
Volts

Peak amplitude

Time

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duRAtion

The time between the first and last crossing threshold.

It depends on magnitude of the acoustic source and depends on the

frequency of the source.

App
• To filter noise as it can used to identify different types of emission
from other sources.

siGnAl duRAtion

Duration
Volts

Time

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Rise time

The duration between first threshold crossing and the signal peak.

It is related to the propagation of the acoustic waves between the

source and sensor.

• It is used to qualify the emissions.

• It is used to filter noise

siGnAl duRAtion
Volts

Time

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