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The AE techniques are able to monitor structural micro-failures. The AE recorded signals are associated to the elastic energy released during the
micro-failure events. In CFRP laminate four different interlaminar failure modes can be identified: fiber failure, matrix cracking, pull-out and
interfacial debonding. The major difficulty in establishing a relationship between the AE signals and the occurring failure processes consists in
the concurrent observation of different modes.
Analysis of the AE signals associated to micro-failure processes in CFRP laminates has been performed. Unidirectional (0° and 90°) and crossply
laminates have been tested. The AE signals associated to the failure processes have been detected and then recorded with an oscilloscope. A
frequency spectral analysis has been performed via FFT.
On the basis of previous works, where the frequency acoustic signatures of the different failure modes have been individuated, it was possible to
evaluate the occurrence of different failure processes during tensile loading.