Experimental investigation of water pipeline leakage monitoring utilizing piezoelectric distributed acoustic sensing technology

In the context of escalating global water security concerns, effective monitoring of water pipeline leakages remains a critical challenge, with existing distributed sensing technologies falling short in sensitivity and accuracy. This study introduces a novel application of piezoelectric-distributed acoustic sensing (PDAS) technology using sensor-enabled piezoelectric geocable (SPGC) to address these limitations. Our approach enhances both the sensitivity and the positional accuracy of leakage detection. Through a series of controlled experiments, we demonstrate that the SPGC technology can discern leakage signals with high precision, with a remarkable increase in effective voltage from 2.263 to 19.636 mV, marking an 867% increase. This advancement allows for the accurate location of leakage points and the derivation of a voltage–pressure leakage equation. The research results not only validate the effectiveness of SPGC in monitoring pipeline leakages but also contribute to the development of a new distributed monitoring method, offering significant potential for long-term operation and maintenance of water pipelines. Combined with the voltage vibration signal of the SPGC, a method for pipeline leak identification and location based on the flow velocity equation was proposed. The research results are expected to provide a new distributed monitoring method for long-term operation and maintenance of water pipelines.