Explain how stress wave generation and piezoelectric transduction allow acoustic emission sensors to detect active defects.
Engineering & Maintenance
Acoustic Emission Testing for Structural and Mechanical Monitoring
Learn acoustic emission testing principles, sensor placement and source location, and apply the technique to pressure vessels, tanks and structures under live load rather than during shutdown.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
Most inspection techniques find a flaw that already exists and stays still while it is examined; acoustic emission testing instead listens for the stress waves released while a crack grows or a fibre fails, which means it can find an active defect that other methods miss and can often do so while the equipment stays in service under load. This course covers the physics of stress wave generation and piezoelectric sensor transduction, sensor array design and source location through triangulation, and the load-based test procedures built around the Kaiser effect and Felicity ratio. It covers the governing test standards, including ASTM E1316, ASME Section V Article 12 and EN 13554, and applies them to pressure vessels and storage tanks tested during proof and hydrotest loading, as well as to leak detection and composite structure monitoring. The course also covers continuous monitoring systems used for ongoing structural surveillance, including alarm criteria and the signal discrimination needed to separate genuine emission sources from mechanical and electrical noise. Teaching combines test theory with recorded emission data and reporting practice, so participants leave able to plan, witness and interpret an acoustic emission test rather than only read its final report.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Design a sensor array and apply triangulation to locate an acoustic emission source on a structure.
Apply the Kaiser effect and Felicity ratio to interpret load-based acoustic emission test results.
Select the correct test method and acceptance criteria from ASTM E1316, ASME Section V or EN 13554.
Plan and monitor an acoustic emission test on a pressure vessel or storage tank during proof or hydrotest loading.
Distinguish genuine emission sources from mechanical, electrical and environmental noise during a test.
Set up continuous acoustic emission monitoring with defined alarm criteria for ongoing structural surveillance.
Who Should Attend
Inspection engineers responsible for pressure vessel and storage tank integrity programmes.
NDT technicians extending their qualifications into acoustic emission testing methods.
Structural and asset integrity engineers monitoring ageing or high-consequence assets.
Reliability engineers evaluating acoustic emission as an alternative to shutdown-based inspection.
Test engineers witnessing proof and hydrotest loading on pressure equipment.
Composite structure inspectors monitoring for damage without disassembly.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Acoustic Emission Testing Principles
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Stress Wave Generation, Sensor Types and Piezoelectric Transduction
- Explain how crack growth, plastic deformation and fibre failure generate detectable stress waves.
- Describe how piezoelectric sensors convert surface displacement into a measurable electrical signal.
- Select sensor frequency response and coupling method appropriate to the material being tested.
- Distinguish genuine acoustic emission events from electronic noise at the sensor and cabling level.
Session 2Source Location Through Triangulation and Sensor Array Design
- Design a sensor array density and geometry appropriate to the structure's size and material.
- Apply time-of-arrival triangulation to calculate the location of an emission source between sensors.
- Account for wave velocity variation across welds, thickness changes and material boundaries.
- Validate source location accuracy using a controlled reference signal before the test begins.
02Test Methods, Standards and the Kaiser Effect
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Kaiser Effect, Felicity Ratio and Load-Based Test Procedures
- Explain the Kaiser effect and why acoustic emission testing is normally performed during loading, not unloading.
- Calculate the Felicity ratio and interpret what a low ratio indicates about structural damage.
- Design a load or pressure sequence that reveals emission activity without risking the structure.
- Recognise Felicity ratio patterns that indicate active flaw growth requiring further investigation.
Session 2Governing Standards: ASTM E1316, ASME Section V and EN 13554
- Compare terminology, sensor requirements and acceptance criteria across ASTM E1316, ASME Section V and EN 13554.
- Select the correct code-based procedure for a given equipment type and jurisdiction.
- Document test parameters and acceptance criteria before testing begins, in line with the governing standard.
- Reconcile acoustic emission results with the requirements of the applicable pressure equipment code.
03Applications on Pressure Equipment and Structures
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Vessel and Storage Tank Testing During Proof and Hydrotest Loading
- Plan sensor placement and load steps for a pressure vessel test conducted during a scheduled hydrotest.
- Monitor storage tank floors and shells for emission activity during hydrostatic or product loading.
- Interpret emission trends across load steps to judge whether a vessel is safe to return to service.
- Coordinate acoustic emission testing with other inspection disciplines during a planned test window.
Session 2Leak Detection and Composite Structure Monitoring
- Detect active leaks in pressurised systems from the continuous acoustic emission signal they generate.
- Apply acoustic emission testing to composite structures to detect fibre breakage and delamination.
- Distinguish leak signatures from crack growth signatures using frequency and continuity characteristics.
- Combine acoustic emission findings with other NDT methods before confirming a defect location for repair.
04Continuous Monitoring Programmes and Data Interpretation
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Continuous AE Monitoring Systems and Alarm Criteria
- Design a continuous monitoring system layout for ongoing surveillance of a critical structure.
- Set alarm and evaluation criteria that distinguish routine activity from findings requiring response.
- Plan sensor maintenance and recalibration intervals for a permanently installed monitoring system.
- Integrate continuous acoustic emission data with other structural health monitoring instrumentation.
Session 2Signal Discrimination from Noise and Reporting Findings
- Apply filtering and pattern recognition techniques to separate genuine emission sources from background noise.
- Classify emission events by amplitude, duration and frequency content to support source identification.
- Write acoustic emission test reports that state findings, location and recommended follow-up action clearly.
- Archive test data in a format that supports comparison with future monitoring or retest results.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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