Measuring, Cross-Sectional Profiling and Geometrical Modeling of the Pipe by an Application Programming Interface

Nowadays, sewage system is either being installed or has been installed in both developing and developed countries. CCTV cameras and the estimation of pipe age are main sources of inspecting sewer pipeline conditions, although not providing decisive information. Managing sewage installations requires reliable quantitative and geometrical data on the conditions of pipes both in-service and after installation. Measuring the rate of sewage blockage has always been challenging. Various attempts have been done to develop and apply different techniques for the determination of pipe blockage since the 1990s, but most of them were not practical or comprehensive. Pipe profiling could be a novel method in this regard. The method proposed in this paper would be able to measure both the cross-section and profile of sewer pipes. This includes two infrared sensors and a servomotor attached to a measurement device mechanism. The set enters a sewer pipe and measures the coordinates of pipe cross-section points. Then, the collected raw data are transferred outside in order to be processed and later saved in a text file format. The saved data will be depicted as pipe cross-section 2D profile using the suggested and developed API package at SOLIDWORKS environment, which in turn will result in the availability of a 3D model of under-inspection pipes. It should be added that different parameters of every desired pipe cross-section will be measurable as well.