Acoustic emission monitoring of carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer bridge stay cables in large-scale testing

This paper presents acoustic emission (AE) monitoring of damage initiation and progression in carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer (CFRP) stay cables subje ct to large-scale laboratory tests. The research is part of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), larger project on the design and construct ion of a new cable-stayed bridge made of advanced composites. No previous u se of AE on large-size CFRP stay cables appears in the literature. Three ty pes of cables of potential use in the UCSD composite bridge were tested at lengths ranging from 5500 mm to 5870 mm. The AE events were monitored to de tect damage and provide a qualitative correlation with the type of structur al failure. The tests allowed a comparative characterization of the failure behavior of the three types of cables under investigation. An additional s tudy was performed to characterize acoustic attenuation and dispersion phen omena that are relevant to AE testing of large-scale CFRP cables. It is sho wn that despite their large size, these cables are excellent acoustic wave guides exhibiting very low attenuation. Finally, this study shows promising results for an effective use of in situ AE for health monitoring of these structural components in service.