Active crack evaluation in concrete beams using statistical analysis of acoustic emission data

Abstract

The application of the acoustic emission (AE) technique is an effective tool for the evaluation of any system and it has a very high sensitivity to crack growth, making it ideal for structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. For over half a century, AE has been applied in concrete structures for early damage detection and characterisation. Using AE wave descriptors, including parameters such as AE amplitude, rise time and average frequency, crack patterns in concrete beams have been identified according to the type of cracking process and crack classification. The descriptors were analysed using statistical methods, including b-value and RA value analysis. This research paper focuses on the utilisation of these two methods in evaluating concrete beams. The beam specimens measured 150 mm × 250 mm × 1900 mm and they were tested in a four-point bending test using cyclic loading together with an AE monitoring system. The results show that the use of statistical analysis is promising for determining micro- and macro-cracking, as well as the relationship between the tensile and shear movement process in concrete beams.