Ground Penetrating Radar - a ground investigation method applied to utility locating in no-dig technologies

During the last decade Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has proved its ability to act as a powerful geophysical tool for subsurface investigations. GPR is a more user friendly and cost-effective tool due to recent technological developments. Lower cost and simple operation has increased the practice of GPR in the utility locating market as well as other traditional markets. Deploying GPR methods prior to directional drilling prevents damage to existing utilities, thus resulting in cost effective installations. As a utility detector, the GPR method has several benefits over traditional detectors, based on electromagnetic or magnetic principles. The most striking benefit is the possibility of GPR to detect non-metallic objects such as plastic pipes and drums. Another benefit is the fact that the GPR can provide a documentation of the measurements performed – although the interpretation can be performed in real-time as well. GPR technology is since a number of years well accepted in no-dig applications in the US and is gaining ground in Europe. Field examples demonstrate that the GPR technique is a time efficient and accurate method for detection and mapping of buried objects and structures. Field example 1 shows real-time, on site detection and example 2 shows measurements with post-processing analyses.