Conceptual Digital Twin Architecture for Integrity of HDPE Butt Fusion Welds

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipelines are extensively used in water and gas distribution systems due to their excellent corrosion resistance, durability, flexibility, and low maintenance requirements. The long-term reliability of these systems depends primarily on the quality of butt fusion welded joints, which represent the most critical locations in terms of structural integrity. In current practice, the quality assessment of HDPE welded joints is based on monitoring welding process parameters, visual inspection, mechanical testing, and non-destructive testing (NDT) methods. Although each of these approaches provides valuable information regarding weld quality, the resulting data are generated at different stages of the weld life cycle and are typically stored and studied independently. The present paper proposes a conceptual Digital Twin architecture for the integrity assessment of HDPE butt fusion welds, based on the correlation of welding process parameters, characteristic defects, and inspection results within a Knowledge Graph model to support decision-making.