Digital Waveform-Based System for Acoustic Emission Measurement for Nondestructive Testing of Structural Steel

Digital Wave Corporation proposed to develop a novel nondestructive testing (NDT) system for high speed acquisition and analysis of wide band acoustic emission (AE) waveforms. The system will provide the capability to detect, identify and locate crack growth in loaded steel structures. This system will incorporate the new high fidelity sensor developed by the Federal Highway Administration and advanced signal analysis algorithms developed by Digital Wave Corporation for identifying and locating AE sources. The program will focus on two core areas which require further development before a practical commercial instrument be built. The first priority is a state-of-the-art digital waveform acquisition system which will provide the speed, resolution and bandwidth required for testing of practical structures using AE waveform analysis. The second area for development will be a post test data analysis system which will incorporate digital signal processing routines for high speed data reduction and accurate source identification and location.