Abstract:Through the acoustic emission tests in high strength wires, tension free cables and tensioned cables, head wave velocity, energy attenuation characteristics and spectrum alteration were discussed by taking different conditions into consideration. The results illustrate that, head wave velocity in single wire is close to the first order longitudinal wave, and it is slightly greater than that in cables; The energy attenuation factor in cables is influenced by tension force, which will attenuate more quickly in no tension cable than that in tension cable. Source energy inversion in real bridge can use the measured values 0.447.