GPR stands for Ground Penetrating Radar, and it is a tool that is used to see what is beneath the ground before any digging occurs. You probably can already guess how useful that is in your industry. GPR allows you to safely and confidently cut into concrete slabs or walls because you know where all of the wiring conduit, pipes, and rebar is located. GPR also allows you to confidently dig on your site without worrying about knocking out the power, water, or sewage for the whole area. Hitting any of those things during digging or cutting could be costly, delay your project, and people could get hurt. That’s not something you want, so read on for 3 tips to using GPR.
Assess The Ground First
The conditions of the soil will influence how well GPR works. GPR is a radar tool, which means that it works by sending out radio waves and receiving them as they bounce back. The material that the radio waves travel though affects how clear the resulting data is and it also limits the depth accuracy of the tool. When the soil is wet, the signals from utilities move much more easily and produce a clearer result. Ice and snow are actually the most favorable conditions. You can improve the efficiency of your GPR project by thoroughly wetting the ground before the GPR technician arrives. On the other hand, wet concrete causes issues for GPR and you won’t get an accurate reading till it has fully cured. Changes in soil composition also limit how accurately depth can be measured since the radio waves move at different speeds through different materials. While a concrete slab will have consistent materials throughout, the ground has many different, unknown layers.
There Are Two Locating Methods
GPR uses both active and passive methods to find utilities. Utility lines produce a charge and sometimes emit signals that the GPR system can pick up. Active location methods mean that you are searching for a specific line with a direct connection or inductive method. Passive searching means that you are locating where all underground utilities are present, but not determining what types they are.
Get Utilities Marked
Before you begin any project, you should call and have the utility lines in the area marked. GPR is a great tool for finding exactly where things are buried, but having the lines marked gives even more reliable data.
Concrete Cutting and Coring Services from Concrete Visions
Concrete Visions has over 12 years of experience and expertise in concrete scanning and we know how to detect any problems lurking beneath the surface. We use ground penetrating radar accurately and expertly and are familiar with many other methods that can be used when appropriate like concrete x-ray and electromagnetic conductivity. We are also very familiar with the latest construction safety techniques and train all of our workers to do their work quickly, accurately, and safely. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you, give us a call at (410) 766-2210 or visit us online. For more articles and tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.