Crack source location by acoustic emission monitoring method in RC strips during in-situ load test

Various monitoring techniques are now available for structural health monitoring and Acoustic Emission (AE) is one of them. One of the major advantages of the AE technique is its capability to locate active cracks in structural members. AE crack locating approaches are affected by the signal attenuation and dispersion of elastic waves due to inhomogeneity and geometry of reinforced concrete (RC) members. In this paper, a novel technique is described based on signal processing and sensor arrangement to process multisensory AE data generated by the onset and propagation of cracks and is validated with experimental results from an in-situ load test. Considering the sources of uncertainty in the AE crack location process, a methodology is proposed to capture and locate events generated by cracks. In particular, the relationship between AE events and load is analyzed, and the feasibility of using the AE technique to evaluate the cracking behavior of two RC slab strips during loading to failure is studied.