سید احسان حبیبی

Accurate and efficient measurement of subterranean infrastructure location remains a significant technical challenge, particularly for non-metallic polyethylene (PE) gas distribution pipelines embedded in heterogeneous urban and industrial environments. This study introduces a novel adaptive vibro-acoustic measurement meth­ odology designed to achieve robust localization with a minimized sensor configuration. The core innovation lies in utilizing a single, commercially available geophone in a roving configuration to sequentially capture ground vibrations at multiple locations, combined with an adaptive measuring method. An active acoustic source transmits controlled signals into the pipeline, and the resulting ground vibrations are measured point by point using the roving geophone. The measured raw signals subsequently undergo several processes to remove existing noise and are then analyzed using a specialized magnitude-domain vibro-signal processing technique. An initial investigation employing numerical simulations informs the system design, followed by the development of dedicated experimental equipment and the establishment of a controlled test field for validation. The method­ ology consists of two primary measurement stages: (1) Parameter Identification, where the optimal wave characteristics for reliable signal acquisition are determined based on the physical properties of the test envi­ ronment; and (2) Localization, where these selected parameters are applied to accurately map the pipeline path. Experimental results demonstrate that this minimal-sensor measurement approach successfully determines the pipeline location with a high degree of precision, achieving a maximum localization error margin of 20 cm. This system presents an advancement in non-destructive testing and measurement science for utility mapping by leveraging simplified instrumentation and tailored signal analysis.