The service ducting industry is generally characterised by a slow pace of technological evolution. In research and academic circles, however, new approaches for utility infrastructure performance, monitoring, and maintenance are being explored. These potential new approaches draw from advances in materials science, sensor technology, and data analytics, and seek to combine them with the foundational principles of ducting design and installation.
The key drivers for seeking new approaches include increasing urban density, complexity of utility environments, and the higher performance expectations for modern installations. In this context, several solutions are being piloted that may offer new options for utility stakeholders and infrastructure owners. These solutions are in various stages of research, development, and field testing, and span a wide range of potential applications.
Overview of Current Emerging Technologies
Distributed fiber-optic sensing for infrastructure monitoring
Distributed fiber-optic sensing (DFOS) has been applied in infrastructure monitoring and some utility conduit installations. This technology involves the use of optical fibers as sensors, to detect temperature, strain, and vibration changes. Fiber-optic cables can be run in conjunction with or as part of a conduit system to provide monitoring capabilities.
The technology works by sending laser pulses down optical fibres, and then using the backscattered light to detect changes in the environmental conditions around the fibers. Temperature changes, mechanical strain, and vibration can be detected and located with reasonable accuracy. The technology has been used in some cases to monitor critical infrastructure installations, particularly in challenging environments where traditional inspection and monitoring approaches are difficult.
Applications have included high-voltage cable monitoring, major pipeline systems, and critical infrastructure in seismic zones. The technology has been deployed in some large-scale projects, like tunnel monitoring systems and major utility installations, but its use in standard ducting applications has not yet been widespread.
Current limitations of this technology include the need for specialised equipment and expertise for data interpretation, relatively high installation cost compared to traditional monitoring methods, and the need for existing fibre-optic infrastructure.
Self-healing materials
Self-healing materials are an area of active research in materials science, with some potential infrastructure applications. Self-healing materials are able to autonomously repair themselves when damaged through a range of mechanisms, although these applications are currently limited and experimental.
Approaches being investigated include:
Microcapsule systems, where small capsules containing a healing agent are embedded in the material and rupture when damage occurs, releasing the healing agent to seal cracks.
Shape-memory polymers, which can return to a predetermined shape when activated by heat or other stimuli.
Reversible polymer networks, which use chemical bonds that can break and reform to allow multiple healing cycles.
Current limitations for these materials include the durability of the healing mechanism, limited healing capacity, sensitivity to environmental conditions, and high cost compared to conventional materials. Most self-healing material applications have been in laboratory research, with limited pilot applications in non-critical infrastructure.
Modular ducting systems
Modular approaches to ducting installation have been gaining some traction, in applications where rapid deployment or future modification is an important consideration. Modular systems use standardised components that can be assembled in different configurations to suit specific project needs.
Benefits of these systems can include:
- Reduced on-site installation time.
- Improved quality control through factory manufacturing of components.
- Flexibility for future modifications or expansion.
- Simplified inventory management.
- Potential for cost savings on large-scale projects.
Current applications are mostly seen in data centres, industrial facilities, and temporary installations. The use of these systems is more established in above-ground applications and less common in underground utility installations, due to different performance requirements and installation constraints.
Limitations include potential higher material costs, need for careful system design to ensure compatibility of components, and requirements for skilled installation to maintain system integrity.
IoT integration in infrastructure
Internet of Things (IoT) technology is slowly being integrated into utility infrastructure for monitoring, though its use is currently limited to specific high-value applications. IoT sensors can monitor a range of parameters including temperature, humidity, vibration, and in some cases, chemical conditions.
Current applications include:
- Monitoring of critical electrical installations.
- Water quality and pressure monitoring in water distribution systems.
- Temperature monitoring in high-voltage cable installations.
- Vibration monitoring in sensitive equipment installations.
Challenges to broader deployment include:
- Battery life of wireless sensors.
- Communication reliability underground.
- Data security issues.
- Integration with existing utility management systems.
- Cost-effectiveness for many routine applications.
Most IoT use cases for utility infrastructure focus on high-value assets, where the cost of the monitoring technology can be justified by the value of failure prevention.
Advanced materials
Advances in materials science have been applied to improve polymer formulations and composite materials used in ducting applications. These improvements are generally targeted at specific performance requirements, rather than being revolutionary in nature.
Recent advances include:
- Improved chemical resistance for use in aggressive environments.
- Better UV stability for exposed installations.
- Improved impact resistance to deal with challenging installation conditions.
- Weight reduction without compromising strength requirements.
- Improved fire performance characteristics.
High-performance polymers like polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) are seeing some use in aggressive environments, but are limited by cost. Fiber-reinforced composites provide better strength-to-weight ratios, but need to be carefully designed to achieve the required performance.
Environmental and sustainability considerations
The ducting industry is beginning to focus more on environmental and sustainability considerations, both in response to regulatory requirements and from a corporate responsibility perspective. This has begun to manifest itself in product specifications, design considerations, and some material choices.
Areas of focus include:
- Material selection, with an increased focus on recycled content where performance allows, and development of recyclable formulations for easier end-of-life processing.
- Energy efficiency, with improved insulation properties and thermal performance to help reduce energy losses in thermal distribution systems.
- Durability, with an increased focus on long life to reduce replacement frequency and environmental impacts.
- Lifecycle assessment, with a more holistic look at environmental impact across the product life cycle, from raw material extraction through disposal.
Current recycled content in ducting materials varies, but is in the range of 15-30% in most standard applications, with some specialty products higher. Performance requirements are often the main limiting factor on how much recycled content can be used.
Challenges and limitations
The primary barriers to the adoption of advanced ducting technologies include:
Cost – many advanced technologies have significant cost premiums attached, which may not be justifiable in many routine applications.
Proven performance – the long-term performance of many new technologies has not yet been proven in the field, which causes reluctance to use them for critical infrastructure.
Standards and specifications – current standards do not always address new technologies, and this creates regulatory barriers to adoption.
Skills and training – some of the more advanced technologies have a skill and training requirement that is not widely available.
Integration – new technologies need to integrate well with existing infrastructure and management systems.
Future outlook
The future of service ducting technology is likely to see a gradual incorporation of these and other proven technologies over time, rather than revolutionary change. Areas that seem most promising in the near term include:
- Improved monitoring technologies – more cost-effective solutions for critical applications.
- Materials development – continuing incremental improvement in polymer formulations and composite materials.
- Manufacturing advances – potential application of additive manufacturing for specialised components.
- System integration – better integration of ducting systems into the broader utility management platform.
- Sustainability – continuing focus on environmental performance and circular economy principles.
Conclusion
While the service ducting industry is seeing technological improvements, the rate of change is slow and the pace is more evolutionary than revolutionary. Current developments are aimed at addressing specific performance needs and improving the efficiency of existing approaches, rather than being based on fundamental paradigm shifts.
The most promising technologies for near-term development are likely to be new materials with improved environmental resistance and performance characteristics, selective use of monitoring technologies in high-value applications, and continued refinement of modular approaches for niche applications.
Success in new technology adoption will require a careful evaluation of cost-benefit relationships, extensive testing and validation, and a realistic assessment of performance capabilities. The conservatism of the industry in adopting new technologies is a reflection of the critical nature of utility infrastructure and the need for proven long-term performance.
