Project Summary

The project ‘Development of Specifications and Standards for Underground Utility (UU) Survey based on Nondestructive Testing, Surveying, Imaging and Diagnostic (NDTSID) Approaches’. has been funded to PolyU by Innovation Technology Fund (ITF). The project has started on 1 August 2018 and will last for two years. The project is funded by ITF General Support Scheme from Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) and sponsorship from Sum Kee Construction Ltd, as well as the support of Hong Kong Council for Certification and Testing (HKCTC), Water Supplies Department (WSD), Drainage Services Department (DSD), Housing Authority, and Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC).

The six NDTSID methods include visual inspection by robotic CCTV, electromagnetic pipe cable locating, ground penetrating radar, leak detection by acoustic methods, in-pipe infrared thermography for composite delamination and flow survey & monitoring. The project will include (1) a number of forums involving overseas experts and follow-up discussions to collect feedbacks from UU and service providers/laboratories; (2) two 15-hour training courses about the specifications and the test methods concerned. The deliverables will enrich the knowledge and increase the overall performance of UU survey in HK. PolyU will be responsible for the free release of publications, regular updating and maintenance of document.

The six specifications:

• Work group 1: positioning and mapping:

- 1,1 Pipe cable locating/Electromagnetic locating and

- 1,2 Ground penetrating radar

• Work group 2: condition: 

- 2,1 Visual inspection,  

- 2,2 Acoustic Leak Detection (ALD),

- 2,3 Infrared Thermographic and Laser Scanning Inspection (IR&LSI) and

- 2,4 Flow Survey