What are some common uses of ground penetrating radar?

Question

What is GPR (ground penetrating radar) used for?

Answer 1

From wikipedia:

GPR has many applications in a number of fields. In the Earth sciences it is used to study bedrock, soils, groundwater, and ice. Engineering applications include Nondestructive testing (NDT) of structures and pavements, locating buried structures and utility lines, and studying soils and bedrock. In environmental remediation it is used to define landfills, contaminant plumes, and other remediation sites. In archaeology it is used for mapping archaeological features and cemeteries. It is used in law enforcement for locating clandestine graves and buried evidence. Military uses include detection of mines, unexploded ordnance, and tunnels.

Answer 2

Here is a GPR company that I know of, they do bridge assessments and repair with GPR

http://www.southernradarimaging.com/grou...

Answer 3

i am a geologist and we use GPR to indicate depth to bedrock, formational changes, identify UST or other buried objects, etc.

Answer 4

USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service

Ground Penetrating Radar Program

Investigating the variability of soil properties.  

Mapping peat thickness and volume.  

Mapping geologic deposits.  

Sedimentation surveys.  

Locating buried objects.  

Engineering application.  

Hydrologic Investigations.  

Soil survey investigations.

Locating contamination plumes.  

Cultural resources/Archeological investigations

Construction Detail - Ground Radar is can determine the general arrangement of construction, changes in material type, location of structural steelwork and layer thickness.

Concrete Mapping - Ground Radar can be used to inspect concrete floors, walls, decks, slabs, tunnels, balconies, warehouses and garages. It can locate rebar, tendons, conduits, voids and measure slab thickness.

Chimney Flue Location - Ground Radar provides a quick and non-intrusive method of locating and mapping chimney flues. The results can either be marked on site or onto CAD drawings.

Roads, Runways and Pavement Surveys - Ground Penetrating Radar can determine pavement thickness (asphalt and concrete), detect voids underneath the road pavement, identify de-bonding between layers and determine layer thickness.

Buried Objects - GPR can be used to locate underground storage tanks (UST), grave location, forensic investigations and a wide variety of other buried objects.

Service Location - Ground Radar is the only non-destructive technology that can identify non-metallic as well as metallic subsurface utilities. It is suitable for the location of services including water, sewer, gas, electric, telephone and fibre optic.

Hazardous Waste - Having successfully located buried pipes, drums and underground storage tanks, Ground Radar can, under the right conditions, be used to identify the extent of any leakage and contamination.

Foundations - Ground Radar is a useful tool for the location, investigation and determination of the extent of footings and foundations.

Answer 5

TREASURE

Answer 6

GPR is used by a lot of bridge repair companies to conduct surveys as well.