Verifying structural damage in a structure

摘要

The location of a source of an acoustic emission AE in a structure (especially an aircraft) is determined by detecting acoustic emissions from a region of structural damage with a plurality of acoustic sensors and processing the detected emissions using a model characterising the effects of acoustic paths within the structure. The model data is determined by artificially inducing different types of acoustic emission events at a grid of known locations on the structure and detecting the induced acoustic emissions. The determined location of an earlier acoustic emission may be confirmed by inducing acoustic emissions with a moveable acoustic emission source at positions in the region of the determined location. Damage to the structure may be correlated with mode of use of the structure by acquiring operation parameters relating to the use of the structure. A system and method for simulating acoustic emissions with various acoustic emission signatures is also disclosed.