Experimental Investigation on a Buried Leaking Pipe

The experimental study of the effects of pressure on leakages in water distribution networks has been addressed by many authors in recent years. However, most works have been focused on pipes directly placed in atmosphere, and the real conditions of installation are neglected. In this paper, the early results of a new experimental campaign recently started at the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering of University of Naples Federico II are presented. The interaction of a HDPE pipe buried in a volcanic soil is investigated from both hydraulic and geotechnical point of view.