# Acoustic Emission Analysis of Moisture Damage Mechanisms in 3D Printed Auxetic Core Sandwiches

## TL;DR

This study uses acoustic emission to track how moisture affects the strength and damage in 3D printed sandwich structures with auxetic cores.

## Contribution

The novel use of acoustic emission monitoring to assess moisture-induced damage in bio-based 3D printed auxetic core sandwiches.

## Key findings

- Moisture exposure progressively degrades the mechanical performance of auxetic core sandwiches.
- The four-cell core configuration showed the highest mechanical performance after water aging.
- Acoustic emission parameters effectively identify and classify moisture-induced damage mechanisms.

## Abstract

This article presents an experimental investigation of the effect of water aging on the static mechanical behavior and damage mechanisms of bio-based sandwich structures with auxetic cores using acoustic emission (AE) monitoring. Both the skins and the core are manufactured by 3D printing using polylactic acid (PLA) reinforced with short flax fibers. Four auxetic core configurations, differing in the number of unit cells across the core width, are considered. The specimens are immersed in water at room temperature to characterize their absorption behavior, which follows a Fickien’s diffusion law model with different saturation levels. Static three-point bending tests are performed at various immersion times to evaluate the influence of moisture on mechanical performance. The results show a progressive degradation of mechanical properties with increasing water exposure time, with the four-cell core configuration exhibiting the highest mechanical performance. Acoustic emission (AE) monitoring is employed to analyze damage evolution as a function of hydrothermal aging. AE parameters such as amplitude, energy, and cumulative event count are used to identify and classify the different damage mechanisms. This approach highlights the effectiveness of acoustic emission for structural health monitoring and for assessing the durability of auxetic core sandwich structures subjected to moisture.