Assessing damage in corroded reinforced concrete using acoustic emission

The acoustic emission (AE) behavior of reinforced Concrete beams tested und er flexural loading was investigated to characterize and identify different sources of damage including microcrack development, localized crack propag ation, and debonding of the reinforcing steel. By testing plain, notched-pl ain, reinforced, and corroded-reinforced specimens, different damage mechan isms were isolated and characterized. AE events were analyzed using convent ional AE parameters. In addition, waveform analysis was conducted using bot h fast Fourier transform and wavelet transform methods. AE event rate and A E generation behavior showed different aspects depending on the degree of c orrosion of reinforcing steel. The results of the cross-plot, typically amp litude versus duration, showed a clear difference with each stage of damage . Both AE parameter analysis and waveform analysis exhibited a favorable co rrelation with the condition of damage in the reinforced concrete beams. As a result, AE may provide a promising method to estimate the damage of rein forced concrete structures.