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?
