Assessing the Effectiveness of Acoustic Wall Thickness Technology through Meta-Analysis

The application of acoustic wall thickness technology to assess pipeline condition holds significant potential benefits as it does not require the insertion of internal sensors or equipment or the exposure of the external surface of the pipeline. This technology was introduced over 10 years ago and this paper describes a meta-analysis that endeavors to examine how well this technology works and whether the data obtained from the application of this technology can be used effectively. This paper describes and summarizes the underlying theory of the acoustic wall thickness test method. Subsequently, the relevant published literature (including journal papers, conference proceedings, case studies, and project reports) with focus on the application of the acoustic wall thickness technology is briefly reviewed. Results are presented of statistical analyses conducted on over 100 destructive test coupons with the aim to quantify the accuracy of the acoustic technology to estimate effective pipe wall thickness. This paper also briefly reviews how two water utilities effectively use acoustic wall thickness data to improve their operational and long-term management strategies.