• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.425-433
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• 2001

A correlation between fatigue damage and acousto-ultrasonic (AU) parameters has been obtained from signals acquired during fatigue loading of the single-lap joints of a carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminates and A16061 plate. The correlation showed an analogy to those representing the stiffness reduction $(E/E_0)$ of polymer matrix composites by the accumulation of fatigue damage. This has been attributed to the transmission characteristics of acoustic wave energy through bonded joints with delamination-type defects and their influence on the change of spectral content of AU signals. Another correlation between fatigue cycles and the spectral magnitude of acoustic emission (AE) signals has also been found during the final stage of fatigue loading. Both AU and AE can be applied almost in real-time to monitor the evolution of damage during fatigue loading.