The independent study evaluates two key electromagnetic (EM) pipeline inspection technologies, Remote-Field Technology (RFT) and Near-Field Technology (NFT), for assessing the condition of AWWA C303 bar-wrapped pipe (BWP). Conducted by Simpson Gumpertz & Heger...
Technical Papers
Multi-Sensor Autonomous Inspection Device for Condition Assessment
PICA provides a breadth of services to asset managers, and we built a Multi-Sensor Autonomous Inspection Device (MSAID) for low-resolution condition assessment. PICA used this device to help the municipality of Jasper, AB, CAN gather data on a fire water pipeline. The...
Increased Use of Remote Field Technology (RFT) for In-line inspection Tools
The in-line inspection of pipelines has been the domain of magnetic flux leakage (MFL) tools for half a century; however, there are many pipelinecs that cannot be inspected with MFL tools. Internal scale and deposits in water and sewer pipes; wax and low-flow...
High-Resolution Inspection of AWWA C303 Bar-Wrapped Pipe with Detailed Field Verification
Following a high-consequence failure of a pipeline at a major freeway crossing experienced by another city in Arizona in 2022, the city of Mesa prioritized inspection of its high consequence-of-failure AWWA C303 Bar-Wrapped Steel-Cylinder type concrete pressure...
Inspection of Lined Pipelines With In-line Inspection Tools (GOEC11-GOXC11)
The inspection of pipelines that contain epoxy, HDPE or cement mortar liners is difficult with conventional MFL and UT pigs. The liners can either be damaged by such pigs or are too thick for the sensors to read the steel thickness through the liner. A new technology...
In-line Inspection Experience with Lined Upstream Pipelines
An internal corrosion failure occurred in one of Shell Canada’s (Shell) high density polyethylene (HDPE) lined sour gas pipelines in 2007. That failure led Shell to shut in all of its lined sour gas pipelines until the integrity of each could be verified and the...
Corrosion Failure in a Lined Sour Gas Pipeline – Part 1: Case History of Incident
A failure due to internal corrosion occurred on a lined sour gas pipeline. The pipeline was a steel pipeline installed initially with a polyamide liner in 2001 and then re-lined in 2003 with a high density polyethylene (HDPE) liner. Neither of the liners had breached...
Inspect this force main if you can… It’s located beneath a drinking water reservoir (NASTT 2018 No-Dig Show, Palm Springs, March 25-29)
The City of San Diego, CA, owns and operates the Pump Station No. 77 (PS77) force main which conveys untreated sewage 5+ miles through an environmentally sensitive habitat and beneath Lake Hodges, a regional drinking watersupply reservoir. Installation of the force...
Multi-Sensor Autonomous Inspection Device for Condition Assessment (ASCE Conference)
PICA has been in the field of creating high-resolution pipeline inspection tools for decades. To provide a breadth of services to asset managers that are not able to complete a high-resolution inspection we created a Multi-Sensor Autonomous Inspection Device (MSAID)...
Detection of internal pitting on pipes suspended under bridges (NASTT 2016 No-Dig Show, Dallas, March 20-24)
Steel, cast-iron and ductile-iron water and waste water pipelines which span ravines or are suspended under bridges pose some unique inspection challenges. Accessing the pipeline is the first, and usually the most difficult challenge; however, manipulating a NDT...