A new method for waveform analysis for estimating AE wave arrival times using wavelet decomposition

Here we describe a new method for determination of Acoustic Emission (AE) wave arrival times for source location purposes. In complex structures or structures of small dimension, an AE source can rapidly become distorted by the presence of several modes travelling at different speeds, and through contamination by reflections and mode conversions. Using a simple geometry of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic, the responses acquired from two-sensor and four-sensor arrays have been analysed using a variety of techniques, which are variants on identification of first arrival time and/or the arrival of the maximum intensity of the wave. The methods are compared in terms of the consistency of the velocity which is indicated at different points in the arrays, and a method based on wavelet decomposition, filtering and threshold-crossing is recommended as the most consistent and accurate method of determining arrival time. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.