System and method for mechanical failure classification, condition assessment and remediation recommendation

A system for pipe network failure classification, said system comprising:

• one or more sensors deployed in, on or in proximity to at least one pipe of a pipe network, for monitoring a pipe operation condition and collecting related sensor parameter values;
• and,
• at least one processor, communicatively networked to said one or more sensors and to a pipe network parts database, said pipe network parts database storing feature parameter value records of pipes in the pipe network, said at least one processor is configured to:
• (i) intermittently receive the sensor parameters values from said one or more sensors, the sensors parameter values may be an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe;
• (ii) reference, upon receipt of an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe the records stored in the pipe network parts database;
• (iii) retrieve one or more feature parameter value records of the at least one pipe;
• and
• (iv) classify the failure of the at least one pipe into one of two or more failure categories associated with different failure causes, based on the sensor parameter values or the retrieved one or more feature parameter value records of the at least one pipe,
• a failure history database storing records of failure history, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to
• reference the records of failure history to retrieve one or more prior failure parameter values associated with the at least one pipe, and
• classify the failure of the at least one pipe into one of two or more failure categories associated with different failure causes, based on the retrieved one or more prior failure parameter values.

A method for pipe network failure classification, said method comprising:

• monitoring operation conditions of at least one pipe of a pipe network and logging related operation parameter values collected by one or more sensors deployed in, on or in proximity to the at least one pipe of the pipe network, the operation parameter values may be an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe;
• monitoring environment conditions of the at least one pipe and collecting related environment parameter values;
• intermittently receiving the operation parameter values collected by the one or more sensors;
• receiving an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe, or learning of a failure in the pipe network of the at least one pipe by accessing a pipe network failures database that stores records of related operation parameter values collected by the one or more sensors and finding an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe;
• referencing, upon receipt or finding the indication of the failure of the at least one pipe, records of a pipe network parts database that stores feature parameter value records of pipes in the pipe network;
• retrieving one or more feature parameter values records associated with the at least one pipe;
• and
• classifying the failure of the at least one pipe into one of two or more failure categories associated with different failure causes, based on at least one collected operation parameters values, one collected environment parameters values and one retrieved feature parameter value records
• referencing records of a failure history database that stores failure parameter value records of prior failure pipes in the pipe network;
• and
• retrieving one or more failure parameter value records associated with the at least one pipe,
• wherein classifying the failure of the at least one pipe is based on at least one the retrieved failure parameter value records.

A system for pipe network failure classification, said system comprising:

• one or more sensors deployed in, on or in proximity to at least one pipe of a pipe network, for monitoring a pipe operation condition and collecting related sensor parameter values;
• and,
• at least one processor, communicatively networked to said one or more sensors and to a pipe network parts database, said pipe network parts database storing feature parameter value records of pipes in the pipe network, said at least one processor is configured to:
• (i) intermittently receive the sensor parameter values from said one or more sensors, the sensors parameter values may be an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe;
• (ii) reference, upon receipt of an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe, the records stored in the pipe network parts database;
• (iii) retrieve one or more feature parameter value records of the at least one pipe;
• and
• (iv) classify the failure of the at least one pipe into one of two or more failure categories associated with different failure causes, based on the sensor parameter values or the retrieved one or more feature parameter value records of the at least one pipe, wherein said pipe network parts database stores:
• (1) historic records of leaks labeled by failure type including corrosion, ground movement, or leak location;
• and
• (2) attributes of the at least one pipe including at least one of material, diameter, year of installation, working pressure, pressure transients, temperature changes, wall thickness, ground corrosiveness, ground conductivity, or copper pipe connection density per unit length.

A method for pipe network failure classification, said method comprising:

• monitoring operation conditions of at least one pipe of a pipe network and logging related operation parameter values collected by one or more sensors deployed in, on or in proximity to the at least one pipe of the pipe network, the operation parameter values may be an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe;
• monitoring environment conditions of the at least one pipe and collecting related environment parameter values;
• intermittently receiving the operation parameter values collected by the one or more sensors;
• receiving an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe, or learning of a failure in the pipe network of the at least one pipe by accessing a pipe network failures database that stores records of related operation parameter values collected by the one or more sensors and finding an indication of a failure of the at least one pipe;
• referencing, upon receipt or finding the indication of the failure of the at least one pipe, records of a pipe network parts database that stores feature parameter value records of pipes in the pipe network;
• retrieving one or more feature parameter value records associated with the at least one pipe;
• and
• classifying the failure of the at least one pipe into one of two or more failure categories associated with different failure causes, based on at least one collected operation parameter values, one collected environment parameter values and one retrieved feature parameter value records
• wherein said pipe network parts database stores:
• (1) historic records of leaks labeled by failure type including corrosion, ground movement, or leak location;
• and (2) attributes of the at last one pipe including at least one of material, diameter, year of installation, working pressure, pressure transients, temperature changes, wall thickness, ground corrosiveness, ground conductivity, or copper pipe connection density per unit length.