Acoustic emission for monitoring natural fibre composites

Composites that include plant fibres have been used more and more in large-volume applications recently, with a view to obtaining a more environmentally friendly material than fibreglass. However, there are serious concerns about the reliability of their mechanical properties. In this regard, the use of acoustic emission to monitor monotonic mechanical loading can be useful, as shown in the two case studies on jute- and phormium tenax-reinforced composites reported on in this article.