The relationship between the growth of ductile cracks in pressure-vessel steels and the acoustic emissions produced during crack extension has been investigated. It has been shown that in some circumstances it is possible to detect the initiation of ductile cracking in laboratory specimens of a pressurevessel material using commercially available acoustic emission equipment, i.e. when used, with a suitable threshold setting, to ‘detect the first appearance of high-amplitude emissions. These emissions appear to be associated with crack extension processes involving the rapid shear linkage of growing voids.
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References
1.
‘Monitoring structural integrity by acoustic emission’, ASTM STP 571, 1975.
BIRCHOND., DUKESR., and TAYLORJ.: ‘Aspects of defect location and assessment in pressure vessels using acoustic emission techniques’, 2nd Int. Conf. Pressure-Vessel Technol., ASME, San Antonio, Texas, 1973.
