Time domain reflectometry, ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography: A comparative analysis of alternative approaches for leak detection in underground pipes

• Three different techniques are experimentally tested and compared for water leak detection.
• One laboratory experiment and two field experiments have been carried out.
• Results are analyzed and pros and cons of each technique are highlighted.

In this work, three different techniques, namely time domain reflectometry (TDR), ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) were experimentally tested for water leak detection in underground pipes. Each technique was employed in three experimental conditions (one laboratory or two field experiments), thus covering a limited but significant set of possible practical scenarios. Results show that each of these techniques may represent a useful alternative/addition to the others. Starting from considerations on the obtained experimental results, a thorough analysis on the advantages and drawbacks of the possible adoption of these techniques for leak detection in underground pipes is provided.