BEM & WIP Technology for Condition Assessment of Pipelines & other Engineering Assets

Rock Solid Group (RSG) has been using specially configured micro-geophysical techniques combined with its understanding of geotechnical and geochemical issues in the study of various sub-surface and surface engineering structures eliminating the need for destructive sampling and testing. To successfully apply suitable technology for condition assessment a clear understanding of the techniques’ limitations and manipulation of recorded data is essential. Lack of suitable and efficient methods for assessment of pipelines, commonly forming parts of urban water, sewer and gas infrastructure, has lead RSG to develop unique technology to tackle this issue. Key issues are the pipeline itself as well as the embedment of buried infrastructure. Pipes form an integral part of the life-line to all major towns and cities. They carry water or gas to, and sewerage away from, these centres. Their failure in many instances is unacceptable to the communities they service. The ability to accurately assess their current condition and continue monitoring any condition changes during their life cycle is essential to enable the development of a budgeted and targeted maintenance program. The application of RSG’s patented Wave Impedance Probing (WIP) and Broadband Electromagnetic (BEM) technology has found a large range of applications globally. The flexibility and ease of use of these technologies has seen the development of both in-line as well as external inspection methods of buried as well as exposed pipelines. BEM technology is now also being applied to a variety of other engineering structures such as underground tunnels and bridges where wall linings and supports are constructed from ferrous materials.