Quantitative Evaluation of Damage in Concrete Based on AE.

Quantitative estimation of damage in concrete is investigated, introducing acoustic emission (AE) and damage mechanics. The damage of concrete is quantitatively evaluated by carrying out AE measurement in the uni-axial compression test. It is clarified that the process of damage accumulation could be evaluated by the rate process analysis. A damage parameter is determined from damage mechanics, applying Løland's model to a stress-strain relation. Correlating the variation of the rate with the damage evolution, a procedure to estimate the damage parameter is developed. The feasibility of the procedure is demonstrated by concrete samples damaged due to the freezing and thawing process.