Listening for Damage in Advanced Materials
Composite materials such as carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) are increasingly used in aerospace, automotive, marine, and renewable energy applications due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. However, detecting internal defects like delamination, matrix cracking, or fiber breakage can be challenging using traditional NDT methods. Acoustic Emission (AE) provides a passive, real-time method to identify and locate active damage events within these structures.
AE operates by capturing transient elastic waves generated when damage occurs under stress or pressure. Sensitive piezoelectric sensors mounted on the surface detect these energy releases, and by analyzing time-of-arrival and waveform data across multiple sensors, the precise location and severity of damage can be determined.
BQCIS applies AE for global structural health monitoring during proof load, fatigue, or pressure testing — providing early insight into developing damage mechanisms before they compromise integrity.
Key AE Composite Inspection Activities
Key Benefits of AE for Composites
Detects Active Damage Growth
AE detects real-time progression of internal damage, capturing events like fiber breaks and delamination as they occur during loading.
Global Structure Monitoring
A few well-placed AE sensors can monitor the entire structure, offering broad coverage compared to point-based ultrasonic or radiographic methods.
Provides Early Warning
Detects damage initiation before it becomes critical, enabling preventive maintenance and safe continued service.
Suitable for In-Situ Testing
Can be performed on structures during operation or proof testing without disassembly or invasive procedures.
Success Story
AE Testing Verifies Integrity of Composite Pressure Vessel
A composite pressure vessel manufacturer required real-time detection of internal structural flaws during mandatory hydro-proof testing.
BQCIS deployed multi-channel AE sensors across the vessel surface. Acoustic activity was monitored throughout loading, with waveform triangulation to locate potential failure points.
AE monitoring identified early fiber breakage in a localized area. Follow-up ultrasonic evaluation confirmed the indication, preventing a defective vessel from entering service and improving process quality controls.