The monitoring approaches and non-destructive testing technologies for sewer pipelines

Sewage pipe deterioration has been one of the factors causing huge asset losses and urban hazards worldwide. For more efficient and reliable management, a variety of monitoring and non-destructive testing techniques have been developed for defect inspection and condition assessment of sewer pipes. In the present paper, the monitoring approaches of sewage pipes in the form of operational monitoring, structural monitoring, and durability monitoring are outlined. The fundamentals and features of various NDT techniques for different target detect locations are presented. The stereo vision, LIDAR, and laser 3D scanning technologies that might serve to architect the digital twin of the pipeline were also described. What's more, the capabilities and limitations of these technologies are discussed and summarized in tables. Some possible visions for the development of inspection and quantitative evaluation of sewage pipes are also discussed. In practice, it is suggested that visual inspection techniques are the most feasible for the evaluation of underground pipes. In terms of quantitative and automated evaluation, visual inspection robots equipped with stereo vision or laser 3D scanning technology are the most promising.

Automated summary

The deterioration of sewage pipes is a major factor in global asset losses and urban hazards. To better manage these pipes, various monitoring and non-destructive testing techniques have been developed for defect inspection and condition assessment. This paper provides an overview of sewage pipe monitoring methods and the fundamentals of different non-destructive testing techniques. It also discusses technologies that could be used to create a digital twin of the pipeline. Additionally, the capabilities and limitations of these technologies are discussed, and possible future developments in sewage pipe inspection and quantitative evaluation are suggested.