FIFTH CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON NONDESTRUCTIVE ... - IAEA

d) Offshore structures (subsea pipelines, production platforms).
This is not a complete list, but these applications satisfy both the
criteria for large structures and continuous monitoring for either
integrity or process control. Applications such as ice breaker monitoring
have been considered, but will require a significant effort in acoustic
emission signal processing and analysis before its feasibility can be
established.
5. Summary:
A continuous acoustic emission monitoring concept has been described. The
theme of continuous monitoring is to provide information regarding the
integrity of a structure, or provide feedback for process control, or
both. The acoustic emission behavior of each structure would be determined
through a study of materials, damage mechanisms, and service conditions.
With this information the continuous A/E monitoring system may be
configured to present results to personnel otherwise unskilled in A/E data
interpretation. The system hardware has been developed to prototype form,
and essentially represents a redeployment of conventional, advanced multichannel
A/E instrumentation. However, the seismological resemblance
discussed above is a better model of the system and its operational
concept.
6. Acknowledgements:
We wish to acknowledge the support of Petro-Canada Resou-ces with many
aspects of this concept; and the encouragement and logistics support of
Ontario Hydro Research Division, and Petro-Canada Exploration.