Simulated detection experiments of underground water supply pipeline leakage based on ground penetrating radar

As an important part of urban infrastructure, underground water supply pipelines frequently leak or break due to disrepair,corrosion,and poor construction quality.It is of great significance to identify the leakage locations and affected areas of underground water supply pipelines using a non-destructive testing method for the purpose of early warning and follow-up treatment.This study conducted simulated detection experiments and analysis of underground water supply pipeline leakage using the ground penetrating radar (GPR) method.Firstly,this study established the leakage model of water supply pipelines in sandy soil using the SEEP/W module in the GeoStudio software and calculated the volumetric water content of different leakage locations and leakage times.Then,it established the relative dielectric constant and conductivity model for water supply pipeline leakage using the Topp equation and the empirical equations of electrical conductivity and water content.On this basis,this study conducted the GPR simulated detection of the water supply pipeline leakage model with different leakage locations and different leakage times using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method and analyzed the simulation results.Finally,this study conducted the GPR-based physical simulated detection tests of water supply pipeline leakage and compared the test results with the numerical simulation results.The study results are as follows.Compared with the hyperbolic diffracted wave of the water supply pipelines without leakage,that of the water supply pipelines with leakage at different locations are stated as follows.For the leakage on the upper side,a longer leakage area and a larger leakage area were associated with an earlier present hyperbolic diffracted wave with weaker energy,while the horizontal position of the hyperbolic diffracted wave's vertex remained unchanged.For the leakage on the lower side,two hyperbolic diffracted waves appeared,which moved up and down individually.Moreover,a longer leakage time corresponded to two weaker and more separated hyperbolic diffracted waves.The horizontal positions of the hyperbolic diffracted waves' vertexes remained unchanged.For the leakage on the left (right) side,a longer leakage time was associated with a weaker hyperbolic diffracted wave,whose vertex deviated farther toward the upper left (right).The simulated detection results of this study can provide a reliable basis for early warning and follow-up treatment of water supply pipeline leakage.