Commentary on “Quantitative Acoustic Emission Source Characterization of Microcracking in Steel”

Abstract Results published recently by Takatsubo and Kishi concerning acoustic emission during ductile fracture of A533B steel indicated that high-amplitude emissions observed were associated with tension/shear mixed-mode cracking. These results appear to be consistent with (and complementary to) the conclusions reached by the present author in work on pressure vessel steels, including A533B, in which the onset of slow stable cracking was associated with the occurrence of high-amplitude emissions, and in which these emissions were shown to be associated with a fracture mechanism involving shear linkage of voids. The present paper examines the conclusions which can be drawn from these complementary programs, and discusses the link between ductile fracture and acoustic emission.