Mechanical behaviour and identification of damage by acoustic emission of smart composites

Abstract

Purpose

The smaller sizes of current electronic devices suggest the feasibility of creating a smart composite structure using piezoelectric implant to monitor in-situ and in-service conditions the life of civil and aerospace structures. Piezoelectric (lead zirconate-titanate (PZT)) sensors embedded within laminates composites represent a new branch of engineering with the potential to greatly enhance the confidence and use of these materials. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a health monitoring of laminates composites materials incorporating by piezoelectric (PZT) implant using acoustic emission (AE) technique. A series of specimens of laminate composite with and without embedded piezoelectric were tested in three-point bending tests in static and creep loading while continuously monitoring the response by the AE technique. The AE signals were analysed using the classification k-means method in order to identify the different damages and to follow the evolution of these various mechanisms for both types of materials (with and without embedded sensors).

Findings

Comparing embedded sensor to sensor mounted on the surface, the embedded sensor showed a much higher sensitivity. It was thus verified that the embedded AE sensor had great potential for AE monitoring in fibre reinforced composites structures.

Originality/value

Piezoelectric implant to monitor in-situ and in-service conditions the life of civil and aerospace structures.

Citation

Masmoudi, S., El Mahi, A., El Guerjouma, R. and Turki, S. (2014), "Mechanical behaviour and identification of damage by acoustic emission of smart composites", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 2-17. https://doi.org/10.1108/MMMS-11-2012-0023