Damage evaluation of prestressed piles to cast in place bent cap connections with Acoustic Emission

Abstract Acoustic Emission has progressed rapidly as a method for damage evaluation in civil structures. For these purposes several damage evaluation techniques which are able to supply an engineer with information regarding structural integrity have been developed. In this work Acoustic Emission data is taken from five full-scale single pile to bent cap connection specimens. Specimens were tested in a laboratory environment and subjected to cyclic displacements. This data is used to evaluate the damage classification chart which results from plotting calm and load ratios. Various methods of calm ratio calculation are investigated. A new method of damage classification based on the calculation of these parameters is presented. Data from tested specimen is also used in the development of a damage classification chart using intensity analysis. This chart is used to evaluate damage occurring in a full-scale three-pile specimen subjected to representative seismic loading. Results show that under different conditions the chart is able to accurately assess the amount of damage occurring within the specimen. These results represent a step toward field implementation of the technique. Damage evaluation is also performed and validated using cumulative AE energy. The method previously applied to conventionally reinforced concrete members proves to accurately assess damage occurring in prestressed members.