Modeling of Acoustic Emission Wave and Its Parametric Characterization Based on Peak Sensor Sensitivity on an Aluminum Block

Abstract

In this paper an acoustic emission (AE) signal has been generated analytically for a homogenous material with a surface load. For the validation of the AE theory, a simulation for a developed AE wave has been conducted with computational algorithms. Experimental validation for the AE wave generation and propagation have also been performed under similar conditions. Aluminum metal block has been selected as the homogenous propagation medium for both simulation and the experiment. A function generator has been used for the excitation of a burst sine signal on the surface. A piezoelectric AE resonance sensor receives the vertical response due to the vertical load of the function generator. The algorithm of Lamb's solution has been employed in the generation of a simulated AE wave. As the transfer function, the peak sensor sensitivity of the AE sensor (R15alpha) has been incorporated along with the acoustic impedance of the metal surface and sensor. For both detected and simulated AE waves, the signal parametric characterizations have been performed based on the rise time and the maximum amplitude. The attenuation properties of the maximum amplitude and the increase of rise time with the increment of source to sensor distance has been evaluated to validate the proposed method.