Locating a leak from a buried plastic water pipe using multiple measurements of ground surface vibration

• Grant number: 18/25360-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2019
• End date: June 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Mechanics of Solids
• Principal Investigator: Michael John Brennan
• Grantee: Michael John Brennan
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Ilha Solteira
• Associated researchers: Fabrício César Lobato de Almeida ; Phillip Frederick Joseph
• Associated research grant(s): 19/00745-2 - Improved leak detection methods for buried plastic PIPES based on measurements of ground-borne vibration, AP.R SPRINT

Abstract

This proposal is concerned with the localization of a leak from a buried plastic water pipe using vibration measurements on the surface of the ground. The study will involve the development of an analytical model of a buried pipe, together with an extensive set of measurements made on a test site in São Paulo. The measurements will involve tri-axial accelerometers to determine the importance of sensor orientation, and will involve a comparison with laser displacement sensors. Using the model and the measurements, the physical mechanisms of leak noise propagation from the pipe to and along the ground surface will be investigated. Further, an algorithm will be developed to locate a leak using multiple measurements of the phase between multiple measurements of ground vibration. The combination of the measurements and the analytical model will enable the effectiveness of the approach to be determined. Moreover, it is expected that fundamental knowledge will be gained that will help to enable the development of a new way of estimating the position of a leak from ground vibration measurements. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SCUSSEL, O.; SECGIN, A.; BRENNAN, M. J.; MUGGLETON, J. M.; ALMEIDA, F. C. L.. A stochastic model for the speed of leak noise propagation in plastic water pipes ?. Journal of Sound and Vibration, v. 501, p. 13-pg., 2021-03-25. (18/25360-3)

BRENNAN, M. J.; GAO, Y.; AYALA, P. C.; ALMEIDA, F. C. L.; JOSEPH, P. F.; PASCHOALINI, A. T.. Amplitude distortion of measured leak noise signals caused by instrumentation: Effects on leak detection in water pipes using the cross-correlation method. Journal of Sound and Vibration, v. 461, NOV 24 2019. (18/25360-3, 18/04407-1)

SCUSSEL, O.; BRENNAN, M. J.; ALMEIDA, F. C. L.; MUGGLETON, J. M.; RUSTIGHI, E.; JOSEPH, P. F.. Estimating the spectrum of leak noise in buried plastic water distribution pipes using acoustic or vibration measurements remote from the leak. MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING, v. 147, JAN 15 2021. (18/25360-3)

SCUSSEL, O.; BRENNAN, M. J.; IWANAGA, M. K.; ALMEIDA, F. C. L.; KARIMI, M.; MUGGLETON, J. M.; JOSEPH, P. F.; RUSTIGHI, E.. Analysis of phase data from ground vibration measurements above a leaking plastic water pipe. Journal of Sound and Vibration, v. 564, p. 17-pg., 2023-11-10. (20/12251-1, 18/25360-3)