Influence of compression toughness on acoustic emissions of cementitious materials

This paper reports on the variation of acoustic emission (AE) characteristics with the compression toughness of cementitious materials. The purpose of the study was to understand the relation between compression toughness and AE released during the fracture process in cementitious materials. There is limited knowledge about the ‘relation between the compression toughness of cementitious materials and the corresponding AE released’. Specimens of different cementitious mixture compositions were tested as per the ASTM C 39 standard in the laboratory under unconfined uniaxial compression, and simultaneously the released AEs were recorded. Specimens consisted of concrete with 20 mm aggregates, concrete with 12 mm aggregates and mortar. AE monitoring system consisting with resonant type differential AE sensors were used to record the AE parameters. A detailed analysis revealed that an inverse relation may exist between the AE energy (S) and compression toughness (T _ac) of the cementitious materials. The properties of cementitious materials that influence the relationship between AE energy and compression toughness and the behaviour of AE signals were studied.