Archives of Acoustics, 21, 1, pp. 115-117, 1996

Acoustic Emission: Sources, Methods and Applications (in Polish), I. MALECKI, J. RANACHOWSKI [Eds.]

Aleksander Opilski

Acoustic emission (AE) is a phenomenon and a method as well. The investigations of this phenomenon, its sources, signals interpretation and their connections with the source character constitute a currently developing subject for research studies. The applications of AE as an investigation method are being developed faster. Ranachowski and Malecki's book introduces both aspects of AE. The book is set of twenty one articles written by different authors, arranged into seven parts.
The description of the phenomenon and its physics, signals and sources classifications are introduced in the first part. The following part of the monograph structure is based on a sequence introducing AE in terms of its application as a study of method. The chapters from second to sixth concentrate respectively on the applications of the AE method for ceramic materials, metals, metallic elements, concrete, wood, composites, and geological materials. The AE metod is used principally in pit-coal mines for "in situ" studies and also in the chemical technologies. The monograph introduces a very wide range of practical applications of the AE phenomenon.
The second part introduces one of the most important applications ofAE, namely the possibility to estimate the strength and operating parameters of ceramic materials in the brittle crack process on the basis of AE signals. Also, studies of superconducting ceramics by the AE method are presented in this part.
The third part is devoted to the AE phenomena in metals. The main sources of AE in metals are dislocation migrations. The mechanism of these migrations is different for single crystals and polycrystals, and that is why both material groups are introduced separately. Since the metallic parts of the technical devices often work in chemically active surroundings, utilization of the AE method for studies of stress corrosion is especially effective.
The application of AE method for the investigations of heterogeneous materials is discussed in the fourth part. The AE application for studies of the multiple cracking process in these materials is described. The investigation of AE phenomena in geological materials is considered to be one of the first investigations of that kind.
The fifth part of the monograph introduces very interesting and not much investigated applications in building grounds, agriculture soils and geological materials, particularly in pit-coals. It is worth while mentioning that both laboratory studies and the results of "in situ" investigations are introduced. Possibilities of applications to crumps forecasting in the pit-coal mines are described, along with ones in chemical processes, particularly in audiology. The studies of the AE method in respect to ears has proved successful, which gives unique information applicable in otolaryngology.
The sixth part describes AB applications for diagnostics of electrical power engineering devices. Such types of applications could be especially serviceable if optical waveguide transducers are used as AE signal receivers. The last part introduces a Polish apparatus for AE applications, its various modifications for specific applications, and standard sources of acoustic emission.
In summary, in the monograph the authors present the development of the application prospects of the AE method. They also suggested new research problems concerning both the applications of the method and the development of the methodology and apparatus. This variety of the introduced AE applications is a conspicuous feature of Acoustic Emission: Sources, Methods, and Applications. Each article is written by an expert on a specific problem and includes both a survey of the world literature, and especially the achievements of Polish researchers.
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