New Peer-Reviewed Research Advances External Pipeline Assessment
At UESI Pipelines 2026 in Detroit, KenWave contributed two peer-reviewed technical papers examining how external vibroacoustic assessment can help utilities better understand the condition of critical water pipelines.
Developed in collaboration with utilities, engineering professionals and industry partners, the papers explore two very different infrastructure challenges: assessing prestressed concrete cylinder pipe and evaluating aging asbestos cement water mains.
Together, the research reinforces an important principle. No single assessment method answers every infrastructure question. The strongest condition assessment programs use appropriate methods, objective validation and engineering judgement to produce information that supports practical asset management decisions.
Enhancing PCCP Asset Integrity Management
Presented by Sebastien Perrier, Vice-President, Technology at KenWave Solutions, the first paper examined multi-utility trials comparing vibroacoustic assessment with electromagnetic inspection methods on prestressed concrete cylinder pipe.
Electromagnetic inspection is commonly used to identify broken prestressing wires in PCCP. Vibroacoustic assessment provides a different perspective by evaluating changes in the composite stiffness and structural response of the pipeline.
The research explored how these forms of information can work together. By adding system-level structural information to established inspection results, utilities can develop a more complete understanding of pipeline condition and strengthen long-term integrity management decisions.
Validating Non-Invasive Assessment of Asbestos Cement Pipe
The second paper, presented by Cameron White, Director of Growth at KenWave Solutions, documented a pilot program completed with Brabant Water in the Netherlands.
The project compared external vibroacoustic assessment with inline ultrasonic inspection on asbestos cement pipelines. The objective was not only to examine accuracy, but also to determine whether the approach could meet the operational and deliverable requirements of a working utility.
The results demonstrated that the vibroacoustic approach met the pilot’s established accuracy, operational and deliverable performance indicators. The assessment was completed externally, without interrupting normal service, while producing condition information that could be incorporated into Brabant Water’s asset management program.
For utilities managing large inventories of aging asbestos cement pipe, this research is particularly significant. Traditional assessment can require shutdowns, pipe entry or physical sampling. A validated external approach gives utilities another way to understand actual pipe condition while minimizing disruption and avoiding unnecessary disturbance of the asset.
From Research to Better Infrastructure Decisions
Both papers were well received at Pipelines 2026 and generated valuable conversations with utility owners, consultants and pipeline professionals.
While the pipe materials and assessment methodologies differed, the underlying objective was the same: replacing assumptions with measured condition information.
Peer-reviewed research and collaborative utility trials are essential to advancing the industry. They allow assessment methods to be evaluated transparently, compared with established approaches and applied with greater confidence in real-world infrastructure programs.
KenWave is proud to contribute to this growing body of research and to work alongside utilities and engineering partners seeking safer, more practical and more defensible approaches to pipeline condition assessment.
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