Stephens, M.Simpson, A.Lambert, M.2011-09-212011-09-212008WDSA 2008: Proceedings of the 10th Annual Water Distribution Systems Analysis Conference, August 17-20, 2008, Kruger National Park, South Africa / K. Van Zyl (ed.): pp. 911-9219780784410240http://hdl.handle.net/2440/66280A methodology for determining the wall condition of water pipelines, by using an inverse transient model to interpret the measured response of the pipeline to deliberately induced controlled transients is presented. Changes in pipe wall lining and thickness theoretically give rise to reflections in measured transient responses and these can be interpreted to assess pipeline wall condition. The results of field tests on a 750mm diameter pipeline, containing reflections from a damaged section of pipeline, are presented. A distribution of known damage (determined from CCTV camera footage) and inferred damage is characterised in terms of four categories of wall deterioration. This distribution of damage is then included in a transient model of the pipeline and the measured and predicted reflection response are found to compare favourably. The transient model is then combined with a Genetic Algorithm and inverse transient analysis is performed using transient data generated from a distribution of known, inferred and arbitrary damage. The inverse transient analysis relatively accurately predicts the pre-determined distribution of damage along the pipeline.en© ASCE 2009Conference paper002011024110.1061/41024(340)802-s2.0-6994909693329012Stephens, M. [0000-0001-7350-6430]Simpson, A. [0000-0003-1633-0111]Lambert, M. [0000-0001-8272-6697]