Pipes and soil studied to cut leakage

A study has been launched into flowrate and environmental factors that can lead to leaks, as part of UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR)’s work to eliminate leakage by 2050.

PhD students at the University of Sheffield are undertaking the two research projects into how water loss occurs and increases in pipes.

The first study is exploring the impact of factors such as soil type, external loading and soil quality on the deterioration of iron pipes and joints that lead to leaks.

The second will investigate transient pressure – the change caused by a shift in flowrate, which can degrade pipes and joints, ultimately leading to water loss.

A specially designed rig will be used to model a range of conditions that buried pipes can experience.

Professor Luca Susmel, chair of the civil and structural engineering department at the University of Sheffield, said: “This project will provide, for the first time, an insight into the physical mechanisms by which cast iron pipe networks degrade and deform, and in particular, how this results in water loss through leakage. This project will be implemented with support from UKWIR, who are the ideal partner to collaborate with to answer this very complex research question.”

The results of the study will be combined with existing data to inform companies’ operational activities and investment decisions around leakage.

Jeremy Heath, innovation manager at SES Water and UKWIR programme lead, said: “These projects are an important step on our journey to achieving zero leakage as they will help us to understand why and when leakage starts to occur on existing pipework. There has been a lot of research done into the causes of water main bursts but much less on leakage and we need to address this so we can prevent it from happening.”