Water and Wastewater Pipe Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring: A Review

Abstract

pipe networks assure the transportation of primary commodities such as water, oil, and natural gas. The quantitative and early detection of defects in pipes is critical in order to avoid severe consequences. As a result of high-profile accidents and economic downturn, research and development in the area of pipeline inspection has focused mainly on gas and oil pipelines. Due to the low cost of water, the development of nondestructive inspection (NDI) and structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies for fresh water mains and sewers has received the least attention. Moreover, the technical challenges associated with the practical deployment of monitoring system demand synergistic interaction across several disciplines, which may limit the transition from laboratory to real structures. This paper presents an overview of the most used NDI/SHM technologies for freshwater pipes and sewers. The challenges that said infrastructures pose with respect to oil and natural gas pipeline networks will be discussed. Finally, the methodologies that can be translated into SHM approaches are highlighted.

Symmetric low-frequency feature-guided ultrasonic waves in thin plates with transverse bends

“…Due to their through-thickness modal structures, they offer the possibility to inspect for both surface and internal defects. Thus today guided waves are well-established in the long-range inspection of simple structures such as annular pipes [3,4] and are also being widely considered for inspection and monitoring of plate-like structures [5,6]. The potential of guided waves to inspect more complex structures is also now being studied, and this has been enriched by novel feature-guided waves that can exist in special topographical or geometric features in waveguides.…”

What does NDE need to achieve for cast iron pipe networks?

“…However, the inspection of thick sections with this technique is limited by the depth to which the eddy currents can penetrate. This is dependent on the induced frequency (Rizzo, 2010) -for example, skin depth of 3 mm in a steel pipe exposed to a 50 Hz AC field (Hao et al, 2012). Reducing the frequency to the order of 10-100 Hz can enable the skin depth penetration to be increased (Jackson et al, 1992); however, full coverage of a 35 mm wall still may not be possible.…”

Estimation of Non-Revenue Water Ratio Using MRA and ANN in Water Distribution Networks

“…Specifically, water distribution systems assure the delivery of the primary commodity of water [1]. They are, however, subject to deterioration over time that usually leads to problems such as the reduced utility of hydraulic facilities, water loss, service disruption, and lower water quality.…”