Introduction on Ground

Penetrating Radar (GPR)

for Civil Engineering Applications
2016. 10. 10

Syahrul Fithry Senin

Senior Lecturer UiTM Penang

What is RADAR?

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RADAR?

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RADAR? No! Laser

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RADAR

Surveillance(Search) Radar (Army/Aiport)

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RADAR

Weather Radar
http://www.kma.go.kr/

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RADAR

3 Dimensional Radar(TRMM PR)

http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/

[Hurricane Sandy, Oct. 28, 2012 at 1725 UTC (1:25 PM EDT)]

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RADAR

Navigation
http://www.nauticexpo.com/

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RADAR
Radio Detecting And Ranging
An object-detection system that
uses radio waves to determine the
range, altitude, direction, or speed
of objects.

http://en.wikipedia.org/

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RADAR

Principle of a Sonar or Radar Distance Measurement

http://en.wikipedia.org/

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GPR?

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Ground
Penetrating
Radar

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Ground Penetrating Radar

A geophysical method that

uses radar pulses to image the

subsurface.
This nondestructive method detects

the reflected signals from subsurface

structures.
http://en.wikipedia.org/

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Ground Penetrating Radar

GPR can be used in a variety of
media, including rock, soil, ice, fresh
water, pavements and structures.
It can detect objects, changes in
material, and voids and cracks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/

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Ground Penetrating Radar

Rebar

Approach

Sink hole
Tunnel

Thickness
Pavement
Deterioration

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Definitions!

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Dielectric Constant
Dielectric Permittivity is the property that
describes the ability of a material to store
electric energy by separating opposite
polarity charges in space. (units :
farads/metre(F/m))
Relative dielectric permittivity (dielectric
constant) is the ratio of the permittivity of
a material to that of free space,
8.8541012 F/m. (No unit!)
ASTM D 6432 11 3.2.9

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Electrical Conductivity
The ability of a material to support an
electrical current (material property that
describes the movement of electrons or
ions) due to an applied electrical field.
(units : Siemens/metre (S/m)).

ASTM D 6432 11 3.2.5

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Electrical Properties

Approximate Electromagnetic Properties of Various Materials

ASTM D 6432 11 Table 1

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Survey & Analysis

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Data Acquisition

Schematic Diagram of a Ground-Penetrating Radar System

ASTM D 6432 11 Fig 1.

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Data Acquisition
GPR uses high-frequency radio waves
and transmits into the ground.
When the wave hits a buried object or
a boundary with different dielectric
constants, the receiving antenna
records variations in
the reflected return signal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/

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Data Acquisition
The depth range of GPR is limited by
the electrical conductivity of the ground,
the transmitted center frequency and the
radiated power.
As conductivity increases, the penetration
depth decreases.
Higher frequencies do not penetrate as far
as lower frequencies, but give better
resolution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/

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Data Acquisition
Data
Storage

Control
Unit

Transmitter
Antenna

Data
Display

Receiver
Antenna
Ground Surface

Soil

Buried Object
Bed Rock

Schematic Diagram of a Ground-Penetrating Radar System

ASTM D 6432 11 Fig 1.

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Data Acquisition
Data
Storage

Control
Unit

Transmitter
Antenna

Data
Display

Receiver
Antenna
Ground Surface

t1

Soil

Buried Object
Bed Rock

Schematic Diagram of a Ground-Penetrating Radar System

ASTM D 6432 11 Fig 1.

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Data Acquisition
Data
Storage

Control
Unit

Transmitter
Antenna

Data
Display

Receiver
Antenna
Ground Surface

t1

t2

Soil
Different
EM Properties

Buried Object
Bed Rock

Schematic Diagram of a Ground-Penetrating Radar System

ASTM D 6432 11 Fig 1.

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Data Acquisition
Data
Storage

Control
Unit

Transmitter
Antenna

Data
Display

Receiver
Antenna
Ground Surface

t1

t2

Soil

Buried Object
Bed Rock

Different
EM Properties

Schematic Diagram of a Ground-Penetrating Radar System

ASTM D 6432 11 Fig 1.

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Received Data
Data
Storage

Control
Unit

Transmitter
Antenna

Data
Display

A Trace

Receiver
Antenna
Ground Surface
A1

t1

t2

Soil
A2

Buried Object
Bed Rock

ASTM D 6432 11 Fig 1.

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Data Analysis
Depth

t
d Vm
2
c
Vm
r
-

A Trace

c = propagation velocity in free space(3X108m/s)

Vm = propagation velocity through the material
r = relative permittivity

ASTM D 6432 11 Eq. (1)

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GPR Survey & Analysis

Survey
2

Time

Depth

Survey

Point Reflector

A Series of Traces

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GPR Survey & Analysis

Survey
2

Time

Depth

Survey

Line Reflector

A Series of Traces

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GPR Survey & Analysis

Wiggle Trace

Linescans

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Various GPR
applications in
civil engineering
field
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Rebars in a Concrete Pavement

Surface

Rebars

Linescans

Wiggle Trace
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Estimating slab thickness

Top surface of slab
(continuous layer)

Slab soffit (continuous layer)

Layer thickness detection at bridge deck

A/C

Bottom

Rebars
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Subsurface void detection

Crack detection in airport

pavement

Estimation of rebar diameter

Pipe detection

400 MHz antennae (up to 4 meter depth)

Measurement of soil water content

Pipe leakages detection

Identify Unknown buried services

before relocation i.e. graveyard

Press News

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Now & the Future of

GPR?

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Now : Research

2012 GPR Conference

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Now : Equipment

2012 GPR Conference

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Now : Software

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The Future

The Robot for Bridge Deck Assessment

http://cait.rutgers.edu

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Question?