INOVAZAS - Inovations in leak detection in water pipes using ground-surface vibration data

• Grant number: 24/13559-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Mechanics of Solids
• Principal Investigator: Oscar Scussel
• Grantee: Oscar Scussel
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/00583-3 - Signal processing for monitoring and detecting water leak in underground pipelines, BP.IC

Abstract

The INOVAZAS project aims to revolutionize the detection of water leaks in buried pipelines through the creation of innovative models that overcome current technologies, which rely on vibration data collected at access points or hydrants. The project addresses critical gaps by developing and applying functions such as cross-spectral density, coherence function, and cross-correlation to identify leakage patterns using ground-surface vibration data. These functions are crucial for identifying the frequency range of the leak noise. The study also investigates variations due to soil type and wave interactions that may distort data collected on the ground/asphalt by sensors such as accelerometers, geophones, or lasers. Additionally, advanced stochastic models will be developed to incorporate uncertainties associated with pipeline and soil conditions, aiming for more precise and efficient modeling. In collaboration with universities and industry partners from Brazil, the UK, Italy, China, and Australia, the INOVAZAS project has the potential to establish pioneering applications in theoretical development, finite element modeling, and experimental work using data obtained through partnerships, significantly contributing to global water management. (AU)