On acoustic emission for failure investigation in CFRP: Pattern recognition and peak frequency analyses

This paper investigates failure in Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics CFRP using Acoustic Emission (AE). Signals have been collected and post-processed for various test configurations: tension, Compact Tension (CT), Compact Compression (CC), Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and four-point bend End Notched Flexure (4-ENF). The signals are analysed with three different pattern recognition algorithms: k-means, Self Organising Map (SOM) combined with k-means and Competitive Neural Network (CNN). The SOM combined with k-means appears as the most effective of the three algorithms. The results from the clustering analysis follow patterns found in the peak frequencies distribution. A detailed study of the frequency content of each test is then performed and the classification of several failure modes is achieved. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.