Cracking Mode Analysis of Crack Initiation in Rocks under Uniaxial Compression

Crack initiation is related to the behavior of the preexisting microcracks within a rock specimen, which suggests the specimen starts to fail. The determination of crack initiation stress is important for identifying the elastic stage and related mechanical parameters. Uniaxial compression tests with acoustic emission monitoring were performed to study crack initiation for tight sandstone, loose sandstone, and granite. The evolution of the cracking mode, i.e., the statistics of the cracking mode under compression, was obtained through modified acoustic emission parameter analysis. Based on the logarithm of the acoustic emission parameter (LAEP), a cracking mode analysis (CMA) method is proposed and used to determine the crack initiation stress. Results from the tests indicate that the crack initiation stress between the same rock specimens obtained by CMA is very close. The mean ratio of crack initiation stress to compression strength is 0.45, 0.34, and 0.35 for tight sandstone, loose sandstone, and granite, respectively. According to the results of CMA, crack volumetric strain (CVS) method, and lateral strain response (LSR) method, there is no big difference among those methods in tight sandstone and loose sandstone. In granite, the results obtained by CMA are close to those obtained by CVS, but smaller than those obtained by LSR. The CMA interprets the initiation of cracks from the fracture behavior of microcracks and is an objective method to determine the initiation stress.

Life Prediction of SAE 1045 Carbon Steel Using the Acoustic Emission Parameter

The competency of acoustic emission (AE) technique in order to predict the fatigue life of SAE 1045 carbon steel was discussed in this paper. The correlation of the AE parameter and the number of cycles to failure of the tested specimens were established via the statistical approach. In this paper, The AE hits were selected as the functional parameter. The fatigue life values were calculated using the strain-life approach of three models; Coffin-Manson, Smith-Watson Topper and Morrow. Both AE and strain signals used in the analysis were captured using the AE sensor and strain gauge that were attached to the specimen during the fatigue test. The results show that the AE technique has a good potential in assessing the fatigue life with the designed H-N curve (AE hits-number of cycles to failure curve).

Acoustic Emission as a Tool of Fatigue Assessment

A series of laboratory investigations concerned about fatigue assessment with acoustic emission method was presented. Fatigue aspects including cumulative fatigue damage, fatigue crack growth and creep-fatigue interaction were considered. As a basic approach, residual strength and acoustic emission characteristics of fatigue damaged materials were considered from the nominal stress-life (S-N) viewpoint. Acquired signal indicated that counts emission quantity can be a good measure of cumulated fatigue damage. In the fatigue crack growth approach, interrelationship between acoustic emission parameter and stress intensity factor was examined with different stress level and crack length. Experimental results were somewhat scattered since sensitive characteristics of acoustic emission method. However, their empirical relation indicated that counts rate correlated with fracture mechanics parameter. Finally, acoustic emission application was extended to the creep-fatigue interaction at elevated temperature. Emission response under each damage mode was compared and characterized. Based on these characteristics, creep-fatigue interaction was evaluated by use of acoustic emission parameter. Overall investigations concluded acoustic emission is very effective tool of fatigue assessment.