Screening for Welding Defects Using Acoustic Emission Technique

Abstract:

– Welding defects can create a major threat in industrial equipments and pressure vessels can during operation. Detecting and identifying of existing welding defects has a great role in the assessment of the probability of failure in different situations. Acoustic emission (AE) is only a nondestructive technique that can be used as in-service testing and used on large structures. This paper examines the changes in the properties of AE source generated from Pencil Lead Break (PLB). AE is recorded across different seam welds with pre-identified welding defects. Series of experiments are carried out on three certified standard Carbon Steel plates. Each plate has different pre-identified defect such as lack of fusion, porosity and slag. Different AE parameters such Energy, Amplitude and number of counts have been used to identify quantitatively the type of defects. The results are showing that AE technique is capable to identifying the different defects types which can be upgraded for higher productivity and accuracy for welding inspection.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 1025-1026)
• Pages: 7-12
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.1025-1026.7
• Online since: September 2014
• Authors: Abdalla Aboali, Mohamed El-Shaib*, Ashraf Sharara, Mohamed Shehadeh
• Keywords: Acoustic Emission (AE), Butt Welded Plate, Screening, Welding Defects

References

[1] R. Bullough, R.E. Dolby, D.W. Beardsmore: Int. J. Pressure Vessels and Piping, Vol. 84 (2007), p.730.

[2] N. Clive: Failure frequencies for major failures of high pressure storage vessels at COMAH sites: A comparison of data used by HSE and the Netherlands, http: /www. hse. gov. uk/comah/, (2006).

[3] T.M.R. Tennakoon: Characterization of weld defects in single V-butt welded mild steel plates using ultrasonic A-scan technique, MPhil Thesis, University of Moratuwa, Katubedda (2012).

[4] W. Reimche, R. Duhm, S. Zwoch, et al.: Development and Qualification of a Process Oriented Nondestructive Test Method for Weld Joints to Operate With Remote Field Eddy Current Technique, 9th European Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (ECNDT), Berlin, (2006).

[5] F. Rauscher: J. Acoust. Emission, Vol. 26 (2008), p.98.

[6] M. Akbari and M. Ahmadi: The application of acoustic emission technique to plastic deformation of low carbon steel, International Congress on Ultrasonic, Santiago de Chile, p.795 (2009).

DOI: 10.1016/j.phpro.2010.01.102

[7] M. Sehhadeh, M. Abdel Geliel, A. El-Araby: Buckling detection within subsea pipeline laying using Acoustic Emission technique, 29th European Conference on Acoustic Emission Testing (EWGAE ), Vienna, (2010).

[8] P. Antonaci, P. Bocca, D. Masera: Mater. Struct. Micromechanics of Fracture, Vol. 465 (2011), p.370.

[9] S. Budano, G. Giunta, A. Lucci: Acoustic Emission data analysis to evaluate damage mechanisms in pipeline carbon steels, The open access nondestructive test data base, www. ndt. net.

[10] M. Shehadeh, A. Sharara, M. Khamis and H. El-Gamal: Canadian J. Mech. Sci. Eng. Vol. 3, No. 3 (2012).

[11] Sonaspection, Weld test specimen NDE reports, http: / www. sonaspection. com.

[12] ASTM E-976-10: Standard Guide for Determining the Reproducibility of Acoustic Emission Sensor Response, American Society Testing and Materials, (2010).

[13] Mistras Group, AE win™ software, user manual , rev. 3, (2009).

[14] Envirocoustics S.A. Noesis v5. 0 software, user manual, rev. 8, (2011).

[15] M. El-Shaib, Predicting acoustic emission attenuation in solids using ray-tracing within a 3D solid model, PhD Thesis, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, (2013).

[16] M. Shehadeh, J. Steel and R. Reuben: J. Process Mech. Eng. Vol. 220, No. 2 (2006), p.121.

[17] J. Bremaecker: Geophysics Vol. 23, No. 2 (1958), p.253.