Chapter 7
An Acoustic Emission Source
Localization Method Based Ant Colony
Without Premeasured Velocity
Qingchun Hu and Longjun Dong
Abstract Source localization in Acoustic Emission (AE) is the core element of
AE monitoring technology. However, conventional source location algorithms are
generally based on assumptions, which are limiting in the AE monitoring for complex
structures with geometric irregularities (such as lugs and caves). In this study, an Ant
Colony Localization Method (ACLM) without premeasured velocity was proposed
for AE accurate source location. The results of the lead-breaking test show that the
location accuracy of ACLM is higher than that of conventional location methods in
the complex structure.
7.1 Introduction
Acoustic emission (AE) monitoring technology has been paid attention to and developed rapidly in various fields in recent years [1–3]. Because it can be used in
nondestructive testing for materials and structures as an effective method. AE source
localization is the core element of AE monitoring technology [4]. There are many
conventional source location methods applied in various projects, such as Geiger’s,
Inglada’s, the USBM, the location method based on simplex stepping, and the location methods of time difference without pre-measuring velocity (TD) [5–9]. However,
these methods [5–9] are based on two main assumptions: (1) the wave path between
the source and the AE sensor is assumed to be a straight path; (2) the velocity
of the elastic wave is set as a fixed value without considering the error between
pre-measured wave velocity and actual wave velocity.
The two assumptions were ineligible in the process of continuous AE monitoring
for complex heterogeneous structures with geometric irregularities (such as lugs and
caves). Because the P -wave velocity changes with time, temperature, and pressure,
especially during the cracking process. Moreover, the wave path is usually not a
straight line in the complex heterogeneous structure. Therefore, it is necessary to
Q. Hu · L. Dong (B)
School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
e-mail: lj.dong@csu.edu.cn
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
G. Shen et al. (eds.), Advances in Acoustic Emission Technology, Springer Proceedings
in Physics 259, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9837-1_7
71
An Acoustic Emission Source
Localization Method Based Ant Colony
Without Premeasured Velocity
Qingchun Hu and Longjun Dong
Abstract Source localization in Acoustic Emission (AE) is the core element of
AE monitoring technology. However, conventional source location algorithms are
generally based on assumptions, which are limiting in the AE monitoring for complex
structures with geometric irregularities (such as lugs and caves). In this study, an Ant
Colony Localization Method (ACLM) without premeasured velocity was proposed
for AE accurate source location. The results of the lead-breaking test show that the
location accuracy of ACLM is higher than that of conventional location methods in
the complex structure.
7.1 Introduction
Acoustic emission (AE) monitoring technology has been paid attention to and developed rapidly in various fields in recent years [1–3]. Because it can be used in
nondestructive testing for materials and structures as an effective method. AE source
localization is the core element of AE monitoring technology [4]. There are many
conventional source location methods applied in various projects, such as Geiger’s,
Inglada’s, the USBM, the location method based on simplex stepping, and the location methods of time difference without pre-measuring velocity (TD) [5–9]. However,
these methods [5–9] are based on two main assumptions: (1) the wave path between
the source and the AE sensor is assumed to be a straight path; (2) the velocity
of the elastic wave is set as a fixed value without considering the error between
pre-measured wave velocity and actual wave velocity.
The two assumptions were ineligible in the process of continuous AE monitoring
for complex heterogeneous structures with geometric irregularities (such as lugs and
caves). Because the P -wave velocity changes with time, temperature, and pressure,
especially during the cracking process. Moreover, the wave path is usually not a
straight line in the complex heterogeneous structure. Therefore, it is necessary to
Q. Hu · L. Dong (B)
School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
e-mail: lj.dong@csu.edu.cn
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
G. Shen et al. (eds.), Advances in Acoustic Emission Technology, Springer Proceedings
in Physics 259, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9837-1_7
71