Acoustic Emission as a Tool for Damage Identification and Characterization in Glass Reinforced Cross Ply Laminates

Loading of cross-ply laminates leads to the activation of distinct damage mechanisms, such as matrix cracking, delaminations between successive plies and fibre rupture at the final stage of loading. This study deals with the investigation of the failure of cross ply composites by acoustic emission (AE). Broadband AE sensors monitor the elastic waves originating from different sources of failure in coupons of this material during a tensile loading-unloading test. The cumulative number of AE activity, and other qualitative indices based on the waveforms shape, were well correlated to the sustained load and mechanical degradation as expressed by the gradual decrease of elastic modulus. AE parameters indicate the succession of failure mechanisms within the composite as the load increases. The proposed methodology based on Acoustic Emission for the identification of the damage stage of glass reinforced cross ply laminates is an initial step which may provide insight for the study of more complex laminations.