The characteristics of electromagnetic waves propagating down steel piping are modified when these waves encounter corrosion on the external surface of pipe. This fact forms the basis for a new
non-destructive testing technique that has been developed to provide a method of rapidly evaluating insulated or buried piping for external corrosion. Broad-band electromagnetic waves are introduced to excite the pipe. As these waves travel along the pipe they are altered in
predictable ways when encountering corrosion. The waves can travel hundreds of feet down piping and provide full-body inspection without the need to access the pipe's surface. For this reason this new electromagnetic inspection of piping offers a unique advantage over conventional non-destructive inspection methods for evaluating the integrity of piping whose surface is not directly accessible.
Keywords: Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI), Piping Inspection, Evaluation of Buried Piping, Electromagnetic Inspection