1164125_Ross,R_2021.pdf (2.86 MB)
Download fileCondition assessment for concrete sewer pipes using displacement probes: a robotic design case study
journal contribution
posted on 2021-05-24, 23:03 authored by Robert RossRobert Ross, Alexander StumpfAlexander Stumpf, D Barnett, Richard HallRichard HallWorldwide, millions of kilometres of sewers are constructed from concrete pipes. Unfortunately, concrete sewers are susceptible to corrosion from biogenic hydrogen sulphide, and, though they may pass visual inspection, their ability to hold together under load may be degraded. This paper presents the design of a teleoperated robot with a protractible probe, that allows an operator to apply a localised load to selected points within a concrete sewer pipe. We report findings from laboratory and field trials of our prototype, with initial results suggesting that this approach has the potential to contribute useful information to sewer maintenance planning.