Low-Cost, Full-Field, Surface Profiling Tool for Mechanical Damage Evaluation

Main Objective

Mechanical damage (typically from third party excavations) is the most frequent source of leaks and ruptures in pipelines. The most common type of mechanical damage is dents, sometimes associated with secondary features such as gouges, external corrosion, or cracks. Currently used techniques for assessing dents are not accurate enough for reliable determination of fitness for service. In this project, Intelligent Optical Systems will determine the feasibility of implementing a novel surface-profiling tool for mechanical damage evaluation based on the real-time processing of a single digital image. This inexpensive, full-field approach provides the full shape of the damaged region with high accuracy, and overcomes current limitations in the assessment process. In Phase I, Intelligent Optical Systems will develop detailed proof of principles of the proposed technology, determine precision as a function of lighting and environmental conditions, and determine preliminary software and hardware designs.

Public Abstract

Successful development of the new tool will yield a new class of pipeline monitoring equipment capable of accurate surface profiling. Given the capital invested in pipeline infrastructure, Intelligent Optical Systems anticipate strong commercial interest in this initial target market with a strong potential to apply this novel technology to a wider field of structural inspection and monitoring applications.

Final Report Summary:
Mechanical damage (typically from third party excavations) is the most frequent source of leaks and ruptures in pipelines. The most common type of mechanical damage is dents, sometimes associated with secondary features such as gouges, external corrosion, or cracks. Currently used mechanical measurement techniques for assessing dents are not accurate enough for the reliable determination of fitness for service. In this Phase I project, Intelligent Optical Systems has established the feasibility of implementing a novel surface-profiling tool for mechanical damage evaluation based on the real-time processing of a single digital image. The cost and processing time are much lower than the equivalent values for laser scanning tools now being considered for this application. Aside from the above operational advantages, we have shown that our full-field approach provides the absolute depth profile of the damaged region with 100 um accuracy, and that areas of corrosion, as well as damaged regions, can be profiled.
The successful development of the proposed system will yield a new class of pipeline monitoring equipment capable of the rapid, accurate surface profiling of damaged and corroded regions. Given the capital invested in pipeline infrastructure, we anticipate strong commercial interest in this initial target market, with a strong potential to apply this novel technology to a wider field of structural inspection and monitoring applications.