Independent NDE Technology Assessment for Ausgrid's 440,000-Pole Network

CoEng Portfolio — Project 0440 Landing Page Draft
HERO SECTION
Validating the Future of Timber Pole Asset Management

Independent NDE Technology Assessment for Ausgrid's 440,000-Pole Network
Client: Ausgrid | Location: New South Wales, Australia | Sector: Electricity Distribution | Service: Timber Pole Assessment & NDE Validation
"Can we reduce or eliminate the need for digging and drilling poles?"
— The central question CoEng was engaged to answer.
[View Our Capabilities] [Contact Us]
SECTION 1 — THE CHALLENGE
SEO target: timber pole inspection, NDE validation, utility asset management Australia
Modernising Pole Inspection at Scale
Ausgrid is one of Australia's largest electricity distribution network operators, responsible for maintaining more than 440,000 timber utility poles across New South Wales. Managing the structural integrity and remaining service life of assets at this scale is one of the most complex challenges facing electricity distribution businesses today.
Ausgrid's established inspection method — Sound, Dig and Drill (SDD) — is labour-intensive, costly, and disruptive. The Thor PoleTest NDE device had shown early promise in Phase 1 field trials as a potential replacement or supplement to SDD, but before any changes to inspection protocols could be justified, a rigorous, independent validation against real-world destructive testing outcomes was required.
Ausgrid needed answers to three critical questions:
Can the Thor device reliably assess pole condition and residual strength at a network-wide scale?
How does NDE performance compare to traditional SDD inspection in real-world conditions?
Is Ausgrid's existing below-ground bandage treatment program delivering measurable value?
SECTION 2 — OUR APPROACH
SEO target: timber pole destructive testing, measurement system analysis, NDE field inspection, pole condition assessment
Rigorous, Independent, Data-Driven
Drawing on over 15 years of specialist timber pole assessment and destructive testing experience, CoEng designed and executed a comprehensive multi-phase testing and analysis program structured across three separable portions.
NDE Technology Validation and Field Inspection
CoEng conducted detailed field assessments across the Ausgrid network, identifying candidate poles for destructive testing based on condition indices and structural ratings. Thousands of Thor PoleTest measurements were recorded across multiple inspectors and network areas, providing a statistically robust dataset for comparative analysis.
Destructive Testing of Ex-Service Poles
CoEng tested more than 50 ex-service poles using standardised destructive testing methodology, including detailed cross-section analysis at the failure location. This provided the ground-truth dataset against which all NDE results were benchmarked — a critical step that many NDE validation programs overlook.
Measurement System Analysis — Repeatability and Reproducibility
CoEng performed a full Measurement System Analysis (MSA), comparing NDE results across multiple inspectors and thousands of Thor tests to quantify measurement system variation. This statistical approach evaluated whether the Thor device's performance was consistent enough for network-wide deployment — a question directly relevant to utilities considering the integration of NDE data into digital asset management platforms and digital twin environments.
Comparative Assessment: NDE vs. SDD
CoEng conducted a head-to-head comparison of Thor NDE outcomes against visual grading assessments and SDD inspection results, analysing accuracy, failure type classification, serviceability ratings, and PHI Index alignment. This analysis produced calibration recommendations and refined inspection criteria, giving Ausgrid a clear, evidence-based pathway to integrate NDE data into their asset management workflows.

Below-Ground Remedial Treatment Review
CoEng coordinated an industry-wide survey of Australian utility practices regarding external pole treatments, a life table analysis comparing treatment performance data against an adjacent network that does not use bandages, and a comprehensive review of available bandage products and their long-term performance characteristics. This gave Ausgrid the evidence base needed to make informed, defensible decisions about the continuation and optimisation of their external pole treatment strategy.
Technical Reporting and Stakeholder Engagement
CoEng prepared detailed assessment reports, data frameworks, and recommendations for each separable portion, presenting findings directly to Ausgrid stakeholders and providing a clear implementation pathway for Thor integration and refined inspection protocols.
SECTION 3 — DIGITAL TWIN AND NEARA INTEGRATION
SEO target: Neara integration, digital twin configuration, electricity network digital twin, pole asset digital twin, utility network simulation, LiDAR pole modelling

From Field Data to Digital Twin: Connecting NDE to the Future of Network Modelling
The structured, quantitative datasets produced through CoEng's NDE validation work are directly compatible with modern network modelling and digital twin platforms — including Neara, the leading 3D network simulation and digital twin platform used by electricity utilities across Australia and globally.
Why This Matters for Digital Twin Configuration
Platforms like Neara build physics-based digital twins of electricity networks using LiDAR point cloud data, asset registers, and condition data. The accuracy and reliability of a digital twin is only as good as the underlying asset condition data feeding it.
CoEng's NDE validation work directly supports digital twin configuration by:
Validating the condition data that populates pole asset records in digital twin environments
Quantifying measurement uncertainty so that digital twin models can apply appropriate confidence intervals to NDE-derived condition ratings
Establishing calibration frameworks that ensure NDE outputs are consistent, repeatable, and suitable for automated ingestion into asset management systems and digital twin platforms
Providing the statistical foundation for predictive modelling of pole remaining life — a core input to Neara's structural and clearance simulation capabilities
Enabling data-driven pole prioritisation, identifying which poles require intervention, replacement, or further monitoring, directly informing digital twin scenario modelling for network maintenance planning
Neara Integration Pathway
For utilities looking to integrate NDE inspection data into Neara digital twin workflows, CoEng can assist with:
Capability Description
NDE Data Validation Ensuring field-collected NDE data meets the quality and consistency standards required for digital twin ingestion
Condition Rating Calibration Aligning NDE condition indices with Neara's structural modelling parameters
Asset Register Enrichment Translating inspection outcomes into structured asset data suitable for Neara import
Remaining Life Modelling Developing probabilistic remaining life estimates to support Neara's predictive simulation capabilities
MSA and Data Quality Assurance Quantifying and documenting measurement system performance to support regulatory and audit requirements
CoEng bridges the gap between physical pole inspection and digital network modelling — ensuring that the data driving your digital twin reflects the real-world condition of your assets.
SECTION 4 — OUTCOMES
SEO target: pole inspection optimisation, NDE implementation, asset management decision support
A Technical Foundation for Confident Decision-Making
Over the course of nearly a year, CoEng delivered:

Here's the refined landing page draft — cleaner and more professional in tone:
COENG PORTFOLIO — PROJECT 0440
Website Landing Page Draft
HERO SECTION
Validating the Future of Timber Pole Asset Management
Independent NDE Technology Assessment for Ausgrid's 440,000-Pole Network
Client: Ausgrid | Location: New South Wales, Australia | Sector: Electricity Distribution | Services: Timber Pole Assessment · NDE Validation · Destructive Testing · Digital Asset Management
"Can we reduce or eliminate the need for digging and drilling poles?"
— The central question CoEng was engaged to answer.
[View Our Capabilities] [Contact Us]
THE CHALLENGE
Modernising Pole Inspection at Scale
Ausgrid is one of Australia's largest electricity distribution network operators, responsible for maintaining more than 440,000 timber utility poles across New South Wales. Managing the structural integrity and remaining service life of assets at this scale is one of the most complex challenges facing electricity distribution businesses today.
Ausgrid's established inspection method — Sound, Dig and Drill (SDD) — is labour-intensive, costly, and disruptive. The Thor PoleTest NDE device had shown early promise in Phase 1 field trials as a potential replacement or supplement to SDD, but before any changes to inspection protocols could be justified, a rigorous, independent validation against real-world destructive testing outcomes was required.
Ausgrid needed answers to three critical questions:
Can the Thor device reliably assess pole condition and residual strength at a network-wide scale?
How does NDE performance compare to traditional SDD inspection in real-world conditions?
Is Ausgrid's existing below-ground bandage treatment program delivering measurable value?
OUR APPROACH
Rigorous, Independent, Data-Driven
Drawing on over 15 years of specialist timber pole assessment and destructive testing experience, CoEng designed and executed a comprehensive multi-phase testing and analysis program structured across three separable portions.
NDE Technology Validation & Field Inspection
CoEng conducted detailed field assessments across the Ausgrid network, identifying candidate poles for destructive testing based on condition indices and structural ratings. Thousands of Thor PoleTest measurements were recorded across multiple inspectors and network areas, providing a statistically robust dataset for comparative analysis.
Destructive Testing of Ex-Service Poles
CoEng tested more than 50 ex-service poles using standardised destructive testing methodology, including detailed cross-section analysis at the failure location. This provided the ground-truth dataset against which all NDE results were benchmarked — a critical step that many NDE validation programs overlook.
Measurement System Analysis — Repeatability & Reproducibility
CoEng performed a full Measurement System Analysis (MSA), comparing NDE results across multiple inspectors and thousands of Thor tests to quantify measurement system variation. This statistical approach evaluated whether the Thor device's performance was consistent enough for network-wide deployment — and directly informs the integration of NDE data into digital asset management platforms and digital twin environments.
Comparative Assessment: NDE vs. SDD
CoEng conducted a head-to-head comparison of Thor NDE outcomes against visual grading assessments and SDD inspection results, analysing accuracy, failure type classification, serviceability ratings, and PHI Index alignment. This produced calibration recommendations and refined inspection criteria — giving Ausgrid a clear, evidence-based pathway to integrate NDE data into their asset management workflows.
Below-Ground Remedial Treatment Review

A statistically robust NDE validation dataset covering thousands of Thor measurements and more than 50 destructive tests
Calibration recommendations and refined inspection criteria for network-wide Thor deployment
A Measurement System Analysis quantifying Thor's repeatability and reproducibility across inspectors
An industry-wide treatment review benchmarking Ausgrid's bandage program against peer utilities
Clear, actionable recommendations enabling Ausgrid to make confident, data-driven decisions about the future of their pole inspection program
SECTION 5 — WHY COENG
SEO target: timber pole engineering consultants Australia, NDE consulting, pole asset management specialists
Specialist Expertise. Independent Analysis. Defensible Outcomes.
CoEng brings more than 15 years of specialist experience in timber pole assessment, non-destructive evaluation, and destructive testing to every engagement. Our work is grounded in rigorous methodology, statistical analysis, and deep familiarity with the operational realities of electricity distribution networks across Australia and New Zealand.
We work with network operators, asset managers, and engineering teams to answer the questions that matter — and to provide the technical foundation needed to act on the answers with confidence.
Relevant capabilities include:
Timber pole NDE technology assessment and validation
Destructive testing and structural analysis
Measurement system analysis and data quality assurance
Digital twin configuration and Neara integration support
Asset management strategy and inspection protocol development
Industry benchmarking and remedial treatment evaluation
[Contact CoEng to discuss your project]
SECTION 6 — RELATED SERVICES
*SEO target: electricity network asset management, pole inspection consulting, Neara digital twin, utility engineering

CoEng coordinated an industry-wide survey of Australian utility practices, a life table analysis comparing treatment performance data against an adjacent network that does not use bandages, and a comprehensive review of available bandage products. This gave Ausgrid the evidence base needed to make informed, defensible decisions about the continuation and optimisation of their external pole treatment strategy.
Technical Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement
CoEng prepared detailed assessment reports, data frameworks, and recommendations for each separable portion — presenting findings directly to Ausgrid stakeholders and providing a clear implementation pathway for Thor integration and refined inspection protocols.
DIGITAL TWIN & NEARA INTEGRATION
From Field Data to Digital Twin
Connecting NDE Validation to Modern Network Modelling
The structured, quantitative datasets produced through CoEng's NDE validation work are directly compatible with modern network modelling and digital twin platforms — including Neara, the leading 3D network simulation platform used by electricity utilities across Australia and globally.
Why NDE Data Quality is Critical for Digital Twin Configuration
Platforms like Neara build physics-based digital twins of electricity networks using LiDAR point cloud data, asset registers, and condition data. The accuracy and reliability of a digital twin is only as good as the underlying asset condition data feeding it.
CoEng's NDE validation work directly supports digital twin configuration by:
Validating the condition data that populates pole asset records in digital twin environments
Quantifying measurement uncertainty so digital twin models can apply appropriate confidence intervals to NDE-derived condition ratings
Establishing calibration frameworks that ensure NDE outputs are consistent, repeatable, and suitable for automated ingestion into asset management systems
Providing the statistical foundation for predictive modelling of pole remaining life — a core input to Neara's structural and clearance simulation capabilities
Enabling data-driven pole prioritisation, directly informing digital twin scenario modelling for network maintenance planning
Neara Integration: How CoEng Can Help
Capability Description
NDE Data Validation Ensuring field-collected NDE data meets the quality and consistency standards required for digital twin ingestion
Condition Rating Calibration Aligning NDE condition indices with Neara's structural modelling parameters
Asset Register Enrichment Translating inspection outcomes into structured asset data suitable for Neara import
Remaining Life Modelling Developing probabilistic remaining life estimates to support Neara's predictive simulation capabilities
MSA & Data Quality Assurance Quantifying and documenting measurement system performance to support regulatory and audit requirements
CoEng bridges the gap between physical pole inspection and digital network modelling — ensuring that the data driving your digital twin reflects the real-world condition of your assets.
OUTCOMES
A Technical Foundation for Confident Decision-Making
Over the course of nearly a year, CoEng delivered:
A statistically robust NDE validation dataset covering thousands of Thor measurements and more than 50 destructive tests
Calibration recommendations and refined inspection criteria for network-wide Thor deployment
A Measurement System Analysis quantifying Thor's repeatability and reproducibility across inspectors
An industry-wide treatment review benchmarking Ausgrid's bandage program against peer utilities
Clear, actionable recommendations enabling Ausgrid to make confident, data-driven decisions about the future of their pole inspection program
WHY COENG
Specialist Expertise. Independent Analysis. Practical Outcomes.