Applications of GPR Technology to Humanitarian Demining Operations in Cambodia: Some Lessons Learned

This paper describes the activities of the Demining Technologies (DeTec) team from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), and personnel of Brooks Enterprises International, Inc., Huntsville, Al, USA, while testing the prototype DeTec-2 Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) in Cambodia. The team, under the direction of Prof. J. D. Nicoud, tested the prototype radar from 18-21 November 1997 in the village of Thmar Pouk, near the Thai border. A test minefield had been prepared by personnel from Hazardous Areas Life-support Organization (HALO Trust). The minefield represented several different soil types and contained hundreds of false targets and a few selected antipersonnel (AP) mines which had been deactivated. A significant amount of useful GPR data was collected and is currently being processed. A description of current demining operations is presented, describing the incredibly tedious prodding method, and we propose guidelines for the use of GPR in the field. Lessons learned, specifically recommendations for equipment validation are presented.