An Acoustic Emission Method for Assessing the Degree of Degradation of Mechanical Properties and Residual Life of Metal Structures under Complex Dynamic Deformation Stresses

An acoustic emission method for assessing the degree of degradation of mechanical properties under conditions of complex dynamic deformation stresses is proposed. It has been shown that changing the operating conditions of metal structures, peak loads, external collisions, and thermally changing loads, which cannot be taken into account, leads to uncertainty and unpredictable structural changes in the material. This in turn makes it difficult to identify the state of the structure material to ensure trouble-free operation of the equipment. Changes in the mechanical properties under difficult loading conditions are identified by polynomial approximation of the results of AE measurements and the construction of boundary curves separating the operability region from the fracture region. This is achieved by approximating the experimental dependences of the acoustic parameters for various types of loading. This approach significantly expands the capabilities of the technical means of identification systems of metal structures, and in particular, allows the current state of the equipment and its suitability for further operation to be assessed without stopping the equipment in real time. It is of interest not only to fix the damage, but also to diagnose the processes of reducing the mechanical properties during the operation of the equipment.