ADVANCED ACOUSTIC EMISSION TECHNIQUES FOR TANK CAR WELD INSPECTION

ACOUSTIC EMISSION CAN DETECT FLAWS IN TANK CARS WITHOUT REMOVAL OF LINING OR INSULATION. THIS RELATIVELY NEW METHOD HAS ALREADY BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY ON ABOUT 10,000 CARS. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SHORTCOMINGS IN THE AREAS OF RELIABILITY AND INTERPRETATON. THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS AND CORRECT THESE SHORTCOMINGS WITH NEW RESEARCH AND REFINED TECHNIQUES FOR THE AE TEST. THE FIRST AREA OF RESEARCH IS THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FLAW SIZE AND ORIENTATION, SERVICE LOADS, TEST LOADS, LOCAL STRESS AN AE RESPONSE. THE SECOND AREA OF RESEARCH ADDRESSES INNOVATIVE WAYS OF USING MULTI-CHANNEL DATA, AS AN ADJUNCT TO THE CURRENT TEST PROCEDURE. THIS WILL GIVE SUPERIOR INFORMATION FOR GUIDING FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION. IN THE THIRD AREA OF RESEARCH WE WILL TACKLE SOME PREVIOUSLY INTRACTABLE NOISE PROBLEMS USING PATTERN RECOGNITION AND NEURAL NETWORK APPROACHES.