Acoustic emission behavior during fatigue crack propagation in 304 stainless steel

Acoustic emission behavior during fatigue crack growth test was investigated under various loading condition. To describe the acoustic emission activity, counts rate (dh/dn) was related with SIFR (Stress Intensity Factor Range, DK). Results indicated that SIFR could be divided into two parts according to its relationship with counts rate. For DK<25MPa √m, counts rate was increased as the SIFR increased. However, for values greater than 25MPa √m, decreasing behavior was shown. This behavior of counts rate corresponding SIFR was keeping the same trend regardless of load range or crack length. Acoustic emission response to the single overload was sudden drop and slow recovery in counts rate like crack growth retardation. Under variable loading condition, counts rate of each loading block was same as that of constant amplitude loading. Overall experimental data was somewhat scattered since sensitive characteristics of acoustic emission method. However, these empirical relations indicated that counts rate was uniquely correlate with single parameter, SIFR