• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2006

A study of the possible axisymmetric modes that propagate at low frequencies in buried, water-filled iron pipes is presented. It is well known that for a vacuum-pipe-vacuum system the sole non-torsional axisymmetric mode that exists at low frequencies is the fundamental L(0,1) mode. When a pipe is filled with water and still surrounded by a vacuum it is also known that another mode then appears which at low frequencies is characterized by predominantly axial water-borne displacements. In addition to these modes, this paper explores two other, less well known axisymmetric modes whose existence depends on the acoustic properties of the outer medium that surrounds a pipe. In this paper the predicted characteristics of these modes are presented.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2009

The attenuation of the fundamental non-torsional modes that propagate down buried steel water pipes has been studied. The mode shapes, mode attenuation due to leakage into the surrounding medium and the scattering of the modes as they interact with pipe joints and fittings have been investigated. In the low frequency region the mode predicted to dominate over significant propagation distances approximates a plane wave in the water within pipe. The established acoustic technique used to locate leaks in buried steel water pipes assumes that leak noise propagates as a single non-dispersive mode at a velocity related to the low frequency asymptote of this water borne mode.