Identifying material used in water pipes using acoustic wave analysis

A system for identifying the composition of a service pipe buried below ground for supplying water from a water main to a building, the service pipe being connected to a respective curb stop shut-off valve, the system comprising:

• a vibration exciter configured to generate controlled vibrations through the curb stop shut-off valve and into the service pipe;
• at least one vibration transducer configured to detect a vibration response associated with the service pipe in response to the controlled vibrations;
• and
• a vibration signal analyzer coupled to the at least one vibration transducer and configured to analyze and process the vibratory response, and further configured to identify a material of the service pipe based on a comparison of the processed vibration response of the service pipe with a known vibration response for a known service pipe material.