Acoustic emission response of magnesium alloy during cyclic and creep tests

We studied the acoustic emission (AE) response to AZ31B alloy during cyclic and creep tests. The peak total AE event count appeared at the 400th cycle before material fracture during the compressive-tensile (C-T) cyclic test at a strain amplitude of 0.4%. In the case of 0.75% strain amplitude, the peak AE event count during compressive unloading occurred at approximately the 100th cycle before fracture. In creep tests at 423 and 523 K, the AE event count in the tertiary creep stage involved increased activations of slips and cracks. The AE responses indicated the transition of the deformation mechanism. The results suggest that the fracture of magnesium alloys can be predicted on the basis of in situ AE measurements.