A Fracture Modes Research of Boron Aluminum Composite Materials by Acoustic Emission (AE)

The acoustic Emission Characteristics are investigated for various failure modes (such as fibre breakage, matrix crazing and delamination) of Boron reinforced Aluminum Composites materials. Tensile Tests are conducted for specimens of four kinds of type (unidirectional, 0°/90° ply, boron fibre and shear lag test pieces). The results show that A. E. Characteristics (count rate, amplitude distribution and location) are different with failure modes. A. E. amplitude is above 90 dB for the fibre breakage of unidirectional ply test piece but below 90 dB for the transverse one of cross ply, which fractured at low level load, while the shear lag test pieces produce acoustic emission amplitude in the range of 40∼60 dB under delamination fracture mode.