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WHAT IS GROUND PENETRATING RADAR (GPR) & HOW DOES IT WORK?

Published on January 31, 2020

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a geophysical locating method that uses radio
waves to capture images below the surface of the ground in a minimally invasive
way. The huge advantage of GPR is that it allows crews to pinpoint the location
of underground utilities without disturbing the ground.

Table of Contents

 * How Does GPR Work?
 * What Does GPR Detect?
 * Utility Mapping Applications
   * Advantages of Ground Penetrating Radar
 * Where Can GPR Be Utilized?
   * Soil Properties & Ground Material
   * Depth
   * Water Content
 * What Is the Difference Between GPR and Seismic Reflection?
 * SoftDig® Uses GPR – Leaving a Minimal Worksite Footprint
   * * Share This Article


HOW DOES GPR WORK?

GPR uses energy waves in the microwave band, ranging in frequency from 1 to 1000
MHz. GPR requires two main pieces of equipment – a transmitter and a receiving
antenna. The transmitter sends electromagnetic energy into the soil and other
material. Ground Penetrating Radar works by emitting a pulse into the ground and
recording the echoes that result from subsurface objects. GPR imaging devices
also detect variation in the composition of the ground material.

If the electromagnetic impulse hits an object, the density of the object
reflects, refracts, and scatters the signal. The receiver detects the returning
signals and records variations within them. The GPR system has software that
translates these signals into images of the objects in the subsurface. This is
how it is used to map structures and utilities buried in the ground or in
man-made structures.

What’s the difference: X-ray vs. GPR Concrete Scanning.







Watch this short video to learn more about how ground penetrating radar is used
for utility location.


WHAT DOES GPR DETECT?

Ground Penetrating Radar signals can be used to find a wide range of items. This
this subsurface tool is most effective when there is a large difference between
the electromagnetic property of the target and surrounding material. GPR is
often used to map items made of the following materials:

 * Metal,
 * Plastic,
 * PVC,
 * Concrete,
 * Natural materials.

The possible applications are virtually endless. GPR is frequently utilized to
detect:

 * Underground utility lines and pipes,
 * Changes in ground strata,
 * Geological features and rock obstructions,
 * Air pockets or voids,
 * Excavated and back-filled areas,
 * Groundwater tables,
 * Bedrock.


UTILITY MAPPING APPLICATIONS

Subsurface utility mapping takes advantage of GPR technology to increase the
precision of their work when combined with traditional locating methods. GPR
provides assistance for discovering unmarked utilities and structures,
subsurface mapping, and excavating projects.

For these types of applications, the advantages are significant.


ADVANTAGES OF GROUND PENETRATING RADAR

GPR is an extremely cost-effective and non-invasive way of surveying. It
provides invaluable information before workers even break ground or start
excavating.

 1.  GPR is safe for use in public spaces and a wide variety of project sites.
 2.  It detects metal and non-metal objects, as well as voids and underground
     irregularities.
 3.  It makes it possible to measure the dimensions, depth and thickness of
     targets.
 4.  Data is provided quickly and can cover a large site area.
 5.  Only one side of the surface needs to be scanned to provide data.
 6.  Frequencies can be regulated to deliver a range of resolution and
     penetration depths.
 7.  Data collected during the survey can be seen immediately or used in later
     projects.
 8.  No digging, excavating, or ground disturbance is necessary.
 9.  Landscaping, structures, lawns, etc. are be left undisturbed by the survey
     process.
 10. It’s less expensive than other methods.

Find out When to Call a Private Utility Locator.


WHERE CAN GPR BE UTILIZED?

As with all types of radar imaging, GPR delivers varying levels of accuracy
depending on the conditions.


SOIL PROPERTIES & GROUND MATERIAL

GPR works by sending a tiny pulse of energy into the ground then recording the
strength of reflected signals and time it takes them to return to the receiver.
A scan consists of a series of pulses over a single area. While some of the GPR
energy pulse reflects back to the receiving antenna, some energy continues to
travel through the material until it dissipates, or the scanning session simply
ends. The rate of signal dissipation varies widely, depending on the properties
of the materials.

GPR is applied to a variety of ground materials, including:

 * Soil,
 * Rock,
 * Ice,
 * Fresh water,
 * Pavement,
 * Concrete structures.

As the energy pulse enters a material with different dielectric permittivity or
other electrical conduction properties, it produces a reflection. The strength,
or amplitude, of the signal is the result of the contrast in the dielectric
constants and conductivities between the two materials. A pulse moving from wet
sand to dry sand will produce a very strong reflection, for example, in
comparison to the relatively weak reflection produced by moving from dry sand to
limestone.


DEPTH

The ground itself can limit how deep GPR signals penetrate up to 100 feet (30
meters) deep. The ground has electrical resistivity, which means it opposes the
flow of electric current to some degree. As the signal penetrates deeper, it
naturally gets less effective. This depends mostly on the type of soil or rock
being surveyed and the frequency of the antenna used. For example, the maximum
penetration depth in concrete is usually about 2 feet. In moist clays and other
high conductivity materials, GPR signals depth is significantly shallower,
reaching about 3 feet (1 meter) or less.


WATER CONTENT

Dielectric permittivity of the substrate is also a factor. Dielectric
permittivity is the ease with which materials become polarized. The quantity of
water present in the material greatly affects dielectric permittivity. Certain
materials can become polarized in the presence of an electric field.


WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GPR AND SEISMIC REFLECTION?

The principles of GPR are similar to those of seismology. The main difference is
that ground-penetrating radar uses electromagnetic energy, rather than acoustic
energy of seismic waves, to detecting subsurface structures.

Seismology refraction surveys record signals that bend within the ground and
arrive back at the surface. Increasing seismic velocity in the ground, related
to the ground’s elastic properties and density, bends these acoustic signals
back towards the surface. Seismic imaging is popular for mapping horizontal
structures beneath the ground, but not very effective for characterizing
vertical features.

GPR uses electromagnetic energy in the form of high-frequency radio waves, which
effectively detect changes in electrical properties below the surface. Seismic
energy, on the other hand, detects changes in subsurface mechanical properties.

Get more information on the Government Regulations Regarding GPR and How Drone
Technology Is Revolutionizing GPR Applications.


SOFTDIG® USES GPR – LEAVING A MINIMAL WORKSITE FOOTPRINT

At SoftDig®, we leave the ground just as we found it – no destruction, no
despair. Our crew provides exceptional imaging results for the location of
utilities across a variety of media – and without ever disturbing the ground. If
you have a job that could benefit from concrete scanning or GPR services,
contact us by sending an estimate request.

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ARTICLE KEYWORDS

 * GPR,
 * Ground Penetrating Radar,
 * Subsurface Utility Engineering,
 * underground utility locating,
 * underground utility mapping,
 * utility mapping,

TOPICS

 * Commercial
 * GIS
 * Ground Penetrating Radar
 * Private Utility Locating
 * Residential
 * Subsurface Utility Engineering
 * Uncategorized
 * Vacuum Excavation
 * Video Pipe Inspection

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WRITTEN BYTIM HOFFER

   
 * 
   
   
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Tim is the Vice President of Operations at Underground Services, Inc (Softdig).
Tim Hoffer frequently blogs for Underground Services, Inc. .






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