Model-based identification of wire network topology

A new technique is proposed to locate wire faults and identify wire network topology using Impedance Spectroscopy (IS). The propagation along the cables is analytically modelled with flexible multi section cascading features utilizing frequency dependent scattering parameters. Therefore, it does not have the common numerical method problems. The transmission line model has the same spectrum as the measured reflection coefficient (ρ) of wire under test (WUT) so that same practical effects such as skin and proximity effects, signal loss, dispersion and frequency dependent signal propagation can be exactly incorporated. For determination of model parameters an inverse problem should be resolved and differential evolution (DE) approach is proposed. The novel method allows locating hard (short and open circuit) and soft (frays and junctions) faults and also for characterization of defects in the branches of network. Results are presented to validate and illustrate the performance of this proposed method.