A novel damage index for reinforced concrete beam-column joint using acoustic emission technique

Acoustic Emission (AE) is a non-destructive Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) technique used to detect the presence and movement of defects in reinforced concrete structures. Various AE based techniques help to identify the occurrence of damage, but there is a need to develop a mechanism for the evaluation of damage index based on AE parameters. This study investigates the ability of AE energy parameters to detect damage to a reinforced concrete (RC) beam-column joint (BCJ). An experimental study has been conducted to test BCJ under cyclic load, and damage progression has been monitored using AE parameters. The results showed a significant increase in energy dissipated and AE energy when a BCJ is reinforced with ductile detailing. Further, a relationship has been developed between energy dissipated and AE energy to determine the damage index. A novel damage index based on AE energy has been developed for reinforced concrete beam-column joints.