Identification of failure mechanisms for CFRP-confined circular concrete-filled steel tubular columns through acoustic emission signals

The CFRP-confmed circular concrete-filled steel tubular column is composed of concrete, steel, and CFRP. Its failure mechanics are complex. The most important difficulties are lack of an available method to establish a relationship between a specific damage mechanism and its acoustic emission (AE) characteristic parameter. In this study, AE technique was used to monitor the evolution of damage in CFRP-confmed circular concrete-filled steel tubular columns. A fuzzy c-means method was developed to determine the relationship between the AE signal and failure mechanisms. Cluster analysis results indicate that the main AE sources include five types: matrix cracking, debonding, fiber fracture, steel buckling, and concrete crushing. This technology can not only totally separate five types of damage sources, but also make it easier to judge the damage evolution process. Furthermore, typical damage waveforms were analyzed through wavelet analysis based on the cluster results, and the damage modes were determined according to the frequency distribution of AE signals.