Acoustic emission monitoring of stay cable anchorage end and waveguide rod hoop connection method

Acoustic emission waveguide rod technology offers a promising approach to monitor broken wires in stay cable systems, enabling a reduction in the number of acoustic emission sensors and, consequently, monitoring costs. A critical challenge in practical applications is optimising the connection between the waveguide rod and the anchorage end of the stay cable to enhance monitoring accuracy. Traditional welding-based connections face limitations due to installation complexity and safety restrictions in practical scenarios. To address this, this paper proposes a hoop connection method between the anchorage end and the waveguide rod, examining the influence of material, width, thickness, circumference, and coupling method on the performance of acoustic emission signal monitoring. The material, width, and thickness of the hoop significantly affect signal attenuation, while circumference has a lesser impact. Signal attenuation rates for hoops made of iron, copper, and aluminium are 13%-30%, 13%-23%, and 20%-32%, respectively. Signal attenuation increases with hoop width but decreases with thickness. The coupling agent notably enhances signal performance for aluminium and iron hoops, but has little effect on copper hoops. The findings of this study can serve as a reference for practical applications.