Volume 08,Issue 02

Detection of Leakages of Underground Pipes By GPR, LRUT, and PAUT Measurements

Authors

Rajesh Nair, Venkatesh Ambati

Abstract
Generally, subsurface water seepages are caused by underground utilities, and nearby large water bodies are a major problem in the industries. These underground leakages cause severe damage to the foundation/basement of the building and facilities and the underground pipelines. In this study, we have identified the subsurface seepage source locations in one of the oil and gas facilities in India. We have proceeded with an integrated approach by combing Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) methods. We have used 100 MHz and 400 MHz GPR antennas to scan the underground utilities and find the saturation of the subsurface layers by finding their resistivity. Long Range Ultrasonic Test (LRUT) and Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) are performed on the various diameter underground pipelines. The combined analysis and in-depth investigation of the results/outputs from GPR survey and NDT have successfully identified the reasons for the underground seepage points. These studies will help the industries save time and money to investigate the variability in the subsurface moisture distribution, find out the water channels, prevent damage to structures, and recommend suitable solutions to avert the damage to future installations.

Keyword: Ground Penetrating Radar, Non-Destructive Testing, Underground seepages, Long Range Ultrasonic Test, Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing.

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