Abstract
Acoustic emission (AE) behavior during tensile deformation and fracture was investigated for Al–Mg–Si base alloys with and without excess silicon. In as-quenched specimens, a peak of AE event counts was observed only at a yield point and then it reduced with increment in plastic strain. The AE activity at the yield point increased with the amount of silicon content. AE signals associated with yielding had mainly its amplitude ranges below 60dB. Change in root mean square (RMS) voltage with deformation well corresponds to that of the AE event counts. On the other hand, in the T6–aged specimen, the peak of AE counts appeared not only at the yield point but also at the occurrence of intergranular fracture. AE signals associated with the intergranular fracture had its amplitude ranges up to 100 dB. The change of RMS voltage revealed that high AE energy was released from the specimen when the intergranular fracture occurred.
