On the selection of acoustic/vibration sensors for leak detection in plastic water pipes

Gao, Y., Brennan, M.J., Joseph, P.F., Muggleton, J.M. and Hunaidi, O. (2005) On the selection of acoustic/vibration sensors for leak detection in plastic water pipes. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 283 (3-5), 927-941. (doi:10.1016/j.jsv.2004.05.004).

Abstract

Leaks from buried water distribution pipes are commonly located by applying the correlation technique to two measured acoustic/vibration signals on either side of a leak. The effectiveness of the correlation technique for locating leaks in plastic pipes depends on the type of sensors used and their sensitivities. Based on an analytical model of the cross-correlation of pressure responses established in an earlier study, this paper investigates the behaviour of the cross-correlation coefficient for leak signals measured using pressure, velocity and acceleration sensors. Theoretical predictions show that a measure of pressure responses using hydrophones is effective for measurements where there is a small signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), but a sharper peak correlation coefficient can be achieved if accelerometers are used. The theoretical work is validated to some extent with test data from actual water pipes on a test site in Canada.

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