Preventing Catastrophic Failures: A Review of Applying Acoustic Emission Testing in Multi-Bolted Flanges

Abstract

The integrity of multi-bolted flanges is crucial for ensuring safety and operational efficiency in industrial systems across sectors such as oil and gas, chemical processing, and water treatment. Traditional non-destructive testing (NDT) methods often require operational downtime and may lack sensitivity for early-stage defect detection. This review examines acoustic emission testing (AET), a real-time monitoring technique for detecting acoustic waves generated by material defects. An analysis of 145 studies demonstrated AET’s effectiveness in detecting early-stage defects across various materials and industrial applications. Recent advances in sensor technology and signal processing have significantly enhanced AET’s capabilities. However, challenges remain regarding environmental noise interference and the need for specialized expertise. The review identifies knowledge gaps and proposes future research directions, including planned laboratory experiments to characterize defect signals in multi-bolted flange systems under different operational conditions. The findings position AET as a transformative solution for industrial inspection and maintenance, offering enhanced safety and reliability for critical infrastructures.