Acoustic emission monitoring for detecting structural defects in vessels and offshore structures

Loss of containment is not acceptable by the community due to environmental pollution, the safety risk and the associated financial consequences. Real-time condition monitoring techniques are under development as early warning systems of incipient failure and continuous assessment of probability of failure. Within this framework, the paper presents the use of acoustic emission as a global, real-time monitoring, non-destructive testing (NDT) method for the assessment of the structural integrity of large-scale structures with an emphasis on metallic vessels, tanks and offshore structures. The effect of static versus dynamic loading on acoustic emission monitoring is discussed together with different testing strategies and evaluation procedures. Advantages and limitations of the monitoring technique and the testing procedures are discussed and representative application examples are given including on-stream testing of spherical tanks, and a hydrostatic test of a metallic tower.