Leak Noise propagation in Buried Plastic Pipes: Effects of the Pipe and Soil Properties - M Brennan

It is well known that plastic pipes and the surrounding soil affect the way in which leak noise propagates in buried plastic water pipes, and this in turn affects how well a leak noise correlator can pinpoint a leak. In this webinar, the physical mechanisms of leak noise propagation will be described in a simple and easy-to-understand way. It will then become clear as to how and why the pipe and the soil properties affect leak noise propagation. There are two main effects. One is the speed at which the leak noise propagates, which can have a profound effect on the accuracy of pinpointing the leak. The second is the distance that leak noise propagates along the pipe, i.e., the amount of attenuation along the pipe, and this can have a great effect on the frequency range over which leak noise is measured. Both effects will be discussed, together with the physical effects of using different sensor types, such as hydrophones, geophones or accelerometers to capture leak noise signals.