1. JOURNAL OF GPRS 1
Simulation of GPR for Road inspection in Matlab
B.Rashmi sai*
*113EC0220-ECE,burugupallirashmisai@gmail.com, NIT, Rourkela,769008,odisha.
Abstract:After several years of research local transportation
agencies are now beginning to implement GPR technology for
both network and project level surveys. In the area of subgrade
soil evaluation GPR techniques have been used to nondestruc-
tively identify soil type, to estimate the thickness of overburden
and to evaluate the compressibility and frost susceptibility of
subgrade soil. In road structure surveys, GPR has been used
to measure layer thickness, to detect subsurface defects and
to evaluate base course quality. In quality control surveys,
GPR techniques have been used for thickness measurements,
to estimate air void content of asphalt surfaces and to detect
mix segregation. Future developments are described where the
technique has great potential in assisting pavement engineers
with their new pavement designs and in determining the optimal
repair strategies for deteriorated roadways.
I. INTRODUCTION
Radar techniques, developed originally for the detection of
targets in the sky or on the surface of land or sea, are now
being adapted as a means of investigating the composition
and integrity of nonconducting materials and structures. The
radar technique principally detect back-scattered energy from
a target; anomalies within a material give rise to reflections
and if the radar antenna is scanned over the material an
image of the anomalies can be generated. The principles
of radar are well understood and radar for detecting buried
objects or Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) uses the same
fundamental physical principles as conventional radar. GPR
is the general term applied to techniques which employ radio
waves, typically in the 1 to 5000 MHz frequency range, to map
structure and features buries in the ground or in man-made
structures. Last time GPR has been used in non-destructive
testing of non-metallic structures.
Fig. 1. Gpr
A major advantage of the radar technique over the non-
destructive testing methods such as ultrasonic is that it is pos-
sible to use an antenna (transducer) which is non-conducting.
* B.Rashmisai,guided by PROF.Maiti sir, Project started in March 2016.
Thus it is technically feasible to scan areas of interest ex-
tremely quickly (up to 30 km/h). The majority of targets sought
using sub-surface radar methods are non-metallic so that their
scattering cross-section is dependent upon the properties of
the surrounding dielectric medium. Most targets and voids in
particular have a lower relative permittivity and there is not
the phase change at an interface that is observed when the
scattering is a metallic boundary. This feature may be used as
way of distinguishing between conducting and non-
conducting targets. Ground penetrating radar (commonly
called GPR) is a high resolution electromagnetic technique
that is designed primarily to investigate the shallow subsurface
of the earth, building materials, and roads and bridges. GPR
has been developed over the past thirty years for shallow,
high resolution investigations of the subsurface. GPR is a
time-dependent geophysical technique that can provide a 3-D
pseudo image of the subsurface, including the fourth dimen-
sion of color, and can also provide accurate depth estimates for
many common subsurface objects. Under favorable conditions,
GPR can provide precise information concerning the nature
of buried objects. It has also proven to be a tool that can
be operated in boreholes to extend the range of investigations
away from the boundary of the hole. GPR uses the principle of
scattering of electromagnetic waves to locate buried objects.
The basic principles and theory of operation for GPR have
evolved through the disciplines of electrical engineering and
seismic exploration, and practitioners of GPR tend to have
backgrounds either in geophysical exploration or electrical
engineering. The fundamental principle of operation is the
same as that used to detect aircraft overhead, but with GPR that
antennas are moved over the surface rather than rotating about
a fixed point. This has led to the application of field operational
principles that are analogous to the seismic reflection method.
GPR is a method that is commonly used for environmental,
engineering, archeological, and other shallow investigations.
In Scandinavia, the first Ground Penetrating Radar GPR.
tests with ground-coupled antennae were performed in early
1980s in Denmark Berg, 1984. and in Sweden Johansson,
1987., but the method did not gain general acceptance at
that time. In Finland the first tests were made in 1986
Saarenketo, 1992. and after the Road District of Lapland of
the Finnish National Road Administration Finnra. purchased
its own unit in 1988, the method has been used as routine
survey tool in various road design and rehabili- tation projects
in Finland Saarenketo, 1992; Saarenketo and Maijala, 1994;
Saarenketo and Scullion, 1994.. Most of the research and
development works in highway applications in Finland has
been performed with low frequency 100500 MHz. ground-

2. JOURNAL OF GPRS 2
coupled antenna in order to evaluate subgrade soils and their
interlayers, probe the depth of overburden and survey road
structural layers. GPR technique was also applied in aggregate
prospecting Saarenketo and Maijala, 1994.. In early- and mid-
1990s tests with high frequency 1.01.5 GHz air-coupled and
ground-coupled antennae were started in bridge deck surveys
Saarenketo and Sode- rqvist, 1993; Maijala et al., 1994., and
in pave- ment design and quality control Saarenketo and
Roimela, 1998; Scullion and Saarenketo, 1998; Saarenketo,
1999.. The history of GPR tests on road surveys in the USA
relates to the mid-1970s, when accord- ing to Morey 1998.,
Federal Highway Administration tested the feasibility of radar
in tunnel applications and later on bridge decks. The first
vehicle mounted GPR system for highways was developed
under a FHWA contract in 1985 Morey, 1998.. Since then,
most applications have been focused on pavement thickness
mea- surements Maser, 1994., detecting voids under concrete
slabs Scullion et al., 1994. and detect- ing deteriorated areas in
bridge decks Alongi et al., 1992.. These surveys have mainly
been performed with high frequency 1.0 GHz. air- launched
antennas see Scullion et al., 1992.. A good description of the
current practices of GPR applications in highway agencies in
North America is given by Morey 1998.. The result of the
questionnaire sent to 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of
Columbia and 11 Canadian transportation agencies showed
that 33 agencies of the 51 responses had experience with
GPR. The most common GPR applications reported were
pavement layer thickness 24 agencies., void detection 22
agencies. and bridge delami- nation 16 agencies.; followed
by delamination detection 11 agencies., depth to steel dowels
8 agencies., buried objects 8 agencies., depth to bedrock 8
agencies., asphalt stripping 7 agen- cies., and scour around
bridge support 6 agen- cies.. Of the various applications GPR
seemed to be the most successful for pavement layer thickness
measurements, while agencies report less satisfactory results
with void detection and questionable results locating areas of
asphalt stripping Morey, 1998.
II. LITERATURE SURVEY
There are many applications of GPR.Mainly
Concrete Inspection:
Cutting and coring experts and construction professionals
require a reliable, non-destructive means to locate targets
within concrete structures prior to drilling, cutting or coring.
The industrys widest range of concrete inspection antennas
ensures that StructureScan is optimized for one’s particular
application. StructureScan is the tool of choice of concrete
professionals based on ease of use, field-proven durability, and
accuracy for locating rebar, post-tension cables and conduits.
Utility Locating:
Utility locators, construction professionals, environmental
firms and land surveyors need a reliable, non-destructive
method to locate subsurface targets prior to:
digging
trenching
conducting site assessments
mapping The UtilityScan and Profiler EMP-400 are the pre-
ferred tools by professionals based on accuracy and ease of
use. These attributes make it a necessary tool for damage
prevention on construction sites.
Road Inspection:
Highway professionals, engineers and transportation depart-
ments require a safe, reliable and non-destructive method
to evaluate roads for pavement preservation, planning and
rehabilitation. Ground penetrating radar offers users a quick
and effective way to determine pavement layer thickness. GPR
can evaluate base and sub-base layers with data collection
densities not obtainable by traditional labor-intensive methods,
such as coring.
Geology:
Ground penetrating radar offers an accurate, non-destructive
solution to mapping the subsurface of the earth. With GSSI
GPR antennas, it is simple to locate features of interest and
subsurface layers in real time, up to 100 feet or more.
In addition to GPR solutions, GSSI provides the industrys
most reliable, state-of-the-art EM profiling system for geolo-
gists, engineers and scientists worldwide.
Archaeology:
Archaeologists and remote sensing specialists around the
world rely on GSSI ground penetrating radar and EM con-
ductivity instruments as key tools for non-invasive site in-
vestigation. Whether the goal is site mapping for excavation
or locating sensitive cultural resources for preservation or
avoidance, GSSI’s remote sensing technologies have been the
tools of choice for nearly 40 years.
Bridge Inspection:
Bridge and Highway professionals and structural engineers
require effective methods for determining the condition of
aging bridge decks, parking structures, balconies and other re-
inforced concrete structures. Acoustical and visual techniques
are subject to operator interpretation. Bridge professionals
worldwide use GPR because it is the only nondestructive
means of obtaining quantifiable data on bridge decks.
Environmental Assessment:
The key to a comprehensive environmental assessment is the
subsurface investigation. GPR and EM play an integral part
by providing a non-intrusive means of examining the subsur-
face for environmental hazards such as soil contamination,
underground storage tanks and drums. GPR can delineate
landfills and pathways for contaminant flow, as well as conduct
hydrogeologic investigations such as water table mapping.
GSSI offers innovative technology to support site assessment
needs.
Ice and Snow:
Geophysicists, climatologists and civil engineers require a
rugged and reliable tool to measure thickness and determine
the structural aspects of ice and snow. GSSI ground penetrating
radar has long been the industry standard in ice and snow
profiling, and is used for locating targets in ice, determining
ice and snow thickness, ice road profiling, glaciology studies
and crevasse detection.
Agriculture and Forestry:
Geophysical professionals require a reliable and accurate
means to examine soil conditions and the natural structures
found beneath the surface of the earth. GSSI ground penetrat-
ing radar has long been the choice for geophysical investiga-

3. JOURNAL OF GPRS 3
tions with a wide range of high precision, field-proven tools.
Mining:
Mining professionals rely on GSSI ground penetrating radar to
aid in determining mining safety, establishing bedrock depth,
mapping sand and gravel deposits, ascertain rock quality, in
addition to mineral exploration.
Railway Evaluation:
Railroad maintenance and service providers have traditionally
relied on visual inspection and excavation to assess ballast
condition and measure sub-ballast and sub-grade. Ground pen-
etrating radar is used to indicate ballast fouling and accurately
measure the structural layers to a higher precision and in far
less time than with traditional methods.
Forensics:
Ground penetrating radar is a key tool used by law enforce-
ment and crime scene investigators for locating clandestine
burials and buried objects. GPR has been instrumental in
locating victims, hidden caches of weapons or evidence, and
helping to locate the remains of soldiers and civilians killed
in war zones.
Military and Security:
Military, security personnel and border patrols use ground pen-
etrating radar in various configurations to detect unexploded
ordnance, to locate the presence of tunnels or detect movement
near exterior walls or in buildings. This technology is key to
helping protect borders and aid military operations in helping
secure areas.
These all are applications of Ground penetrating radar and road
inspection is considered,taking into account the problems that
are caused due to bad roads.
III. PROPOSED WORK
The work proposed is inspection of roads through
GPR(electromagnetic sensor)and simulation of it in Matlab.
Ground penetrating radar offers users a quick and effective
way to determine pavement layer thickness. GPR can evaluate
base and sub-base layers with data collection densities not
obtainable by traditional labor-intensive methods, such as cor-
ing. Highway professionals, engineers and transportation de-
partments require a safe, reliable and non-destructive method
to evaluate roads for pavement preservation, planning and
rehabilitation. Ground-penetrating radar uses a variety of tech-
nologies to generate the radar signal: these are impulse,stepped
frequency, frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW),
and noise. Systems on the market in 2009 also use Digital
signal processing (DSP) to process the data during survey work
rather than off-line.
A special kind of GPR uses unmodulated continuous-wave
signals. This holographic subsurface radar differs from other
GPR types in that it records plan-view subsurface holograms.
Depth penetration of this kind of radar is rather small (2030
cm), but lateral resolution is enough to discriminate different
types of landmines in the soil, or cavities, defects, bugging
devices, or other hidden objects in walls, floors, and structural
elements. GPR is used on vehicles for close-in high-speed road
survey and landmine detection as well as in stand-off mode.
Pipe-Penetrating Radar (PPR) is an application of GPR
technologies applied in-pipe where the signals are directed
through pipe and conduit walls to detect pipe wall thickness
and voids behind the pipe walls.
Wall-penetrating radar can read through walls and even act
as a motion sensor for police.
The ”Mineseeker Project” seeks to design a system to
determine whether landmines are present in areas using ultra
wideband synthetic aperture radar units mounted on blimps
IV. CONCLUSION
The literature survey of project is done till now.Basics of
gprs and surveys of road in different regions of world are
being researched. By the above analysis GPR technology can
be used in road inspection. I learnt a lot about the functioning
of GPRS and their applications in real life.
Thanks to Prof.Subrata Maiti sir for guiding the project.
REFERENCES
[1] [1]http://www.equipmentworld.com/gssi-launches-ground-penetrating-
radar-for-road-inspection-analysis
[2]http://www.crp.pt/docs/A28S64-351.pdf
[3]Road evaluation with Ground penetrating radar journal Elseiver.
[4]http://www.slideshare.net/project-report-on- GPRS.
[5]Report by A.Girish kumar on Low cost implementation of GPR for
landmine detection.
[6]jM Bourgeouis 1998 IEEE paper , a complete electromagnetic pro-
pogation