Applications

GPR – Concrete Scanning

A main use for GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) or Concrete X-Ray can be used to survey concrete to identify objects inside concrete. Targets such as rebar, conduit, pipes, voids, deterioration all can be located with GPR Scanning.

Primary Uses for GPR Concrete Scanning

  • Locate Rebar – Ground Penetrating Radar is used to locate reinforcing steel inside concrete.
  • Locate Pre-Stress Cables GPR can detect Pre-Stressed Cable in the concrete.
  • Locate Electrical Conduit – Using GPR to find electrical conduits buried inside concrete critical safety application for Ground Penetrating Radar.
  • Locate Piping In slab piping is always a danger and GPR can be used to locate these pipes before any cutting or coring starts.
  • Locate Concrete Thickness – On many occasions the concrete slab properties are unknown. Using GPR can identify the thickness of the concrete slab.
  • Locate Voids in Concrete – Voids or honeycombing can have serious effects to the structural integrity of a concrete slab. GPR can be used to survey the slab and identify any potential voids in or under the slab.
  • Locate Post Tension Cables – Cutting PT Cables inside concrete can be deadly as these cables are under thousands of pounds of tensions pressure. Contractors use GPR to Locate PT Cables inside Concrete

To be Clear… GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) is Not X-Ray

Concrete X Ray uses a film and a source to take a picture of what is in the concrete. Concrete X Ray however, is time consuming, difficult and dangerous. For this reason Concrete X-Ray is widely being replaced by ground penetrating radar.

GROUND PENETRATING RADAR – Utility Locating

Another primary function of GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) is to locate and identify subsurface utilities. Locating these targets is critical for anyone digging or cutting in areas where these underground utilities could be damaged.

Primary Uses for GPR Utility Locating

  • Locate Utility Pipes – Finding lost or unknown underground Utility Pipes with GPR is one of the most common uses for ground penetrating radar.
  • Specific Pipes found by GPR – These pipes include but are not limited to: Electrical pipes, Gas pipes, Water pipes, Sewer Pipes, Drainage Pipes, irrigation pipes, fuel pipes, corrugated pipes, plastic pipes, metal pipes, concrete pipes.

Note: Soil conditions may limit the effectiveness of locating certain pipes

GPR – Bridge Deck Inspection

When trying to understand what condition a bridge deck is in GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) will help identify what type of reinforcing is in the deck, what is the spacing of the rebar, if there is more than one layer of rebar, how much cover is over the reinforcing and if the concrete may be deteriorating?

Primary Uses for GPR Bridge Deck Inspection

  • Locate Reinforcing Steel (Rebar) – In many cases a bridge deck survey includes understanding, what and if any reinforcing is in the bridge deck. GPR scans the Bridge Deck to identify the Rebar position and depth inside the concrete.
  • Locate Concrete Cover – As the bridge deck wears, it is critical to identify where the problems areas are located to repair them before the reinforcing steel penetrates through the concrete

GPR – Underground Tank Locating

In some cases underground storage tanks (UST) are lost and cannot be found. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is utilized in this application to locate where these lost underground tanks are positioned.

  • Locate Under Storage Tanks (UST)

Concrete Deterioration Assessment Using GPR

If concrete becomes deteriorated it loses strength and structural integrity. Using GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) to identify where these areas of deterioration form first can help mitigate problems before they occur in the concrete.

GPR – Geophysical Survey

Geologists and land surveyors have used GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) for decades to help locate layers in the soil. They have also used GPR to locate water tables, artifacts, subsurface anomalies, and voids.

GPR – Roadway Inspection

Department of Transportation and engineering firms have used Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to pinpoint asphalt thickness and voids under the roads. Using this technique will help maintain the roadways before they become a safety concern.

GPR – Sinkhole Mapping

Sinkholes can be dangerous and in some cases life threatening. Using GPR to locate sinkhole before they become a problem is a common use for this equipment.

Other

Some of the other applications for GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) are forensic investigation, golf course mapping, snow and ice mapping,