Using acoustic emission to assess the tensile behaviour of textile reinforced cementitious (TRC) matrix composites

The tensile behaviour of textile reinforced cementitious matrix composites (TRC) is investigated using acoustic emission monitoring. Three carbon-TRC-composites with different reinforcement ratios are tested. An unsupervised pattern recognition technique used to classify the signals. In combination tests on TRC-components, these clusters signals correlated cracking, textile–matrix interface damage, shear frictional mechanisms and behaviour. contribution each mechanism during loading quantified. Finally, data compared qualitatively evolutions crack width (measured by Digital Image Correlation) load-transfer length (obtained Distributed Fibre Optic Sensing measurement). A model predict from proposed gives satisfactory results. This paper shows that local TRC reflected in activity AE offers valuable information about damage processes TRC-composites.