Spatial Representation of GPR Data—Accuracy of Asphalt Layers Thickness Mapping

Abstract

Information on pavement layer thickness is very important for determining bearing capacity, estimating remaining life and strengthening planning. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a nondestructive testing (NDT) method used for determining the continuous pavement layer thickness in the travel direction. The data obtained with GPR in one survey line is suitable for the needs of repair and rehabilitation planning of roads and highways, but not for wider traffic areas such as airfield pavements. Spatial representation of pavement thickness is more useful for airfield pavements but requires a 3D model. In the absence of 3D GPR, a 3D model of pavement thickness can be created by additional processing of GPR data obtained from multiple survey lines. Five 3D models of asphalt pavements were created to determine how different numbers of survey lines affect their accuracy. The distance between survey lines ranges from 1 to 5 m. The accuracy of the 3D models is determined by comparing the asphalt layer thickness on the model with the values measured on 22 cores. The results, as expected, show that the highest accuracy is achieved for the 3D model created with a distance of 1 m between survey lines, with an average relative error of up to 1.5%. The lowest accuracy was obtained for the 3D model created with a distance of 4 m between the survey lines, with an average relative error of 7.4%.

The Mapping of Road Pavement Structure around the Seismically Active Regions by Using Ground Penetrating Radar

“…So that the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) method becomes a geophysical study that is often applied to geotechnical studies such as; detecting the subsurface presence [13] and mapping underground water pipelines [14]. Referring to the research conducted by [15], the GPR application can detect fractures in road infrastructure. In addition, this method is also able to accurately delineate objects from road damage properly [16].…”

Improving FMCW GPR Precision through the CZT Algorithm for Pavement Thickness Measurements

“…The traditional GPR system is an impulse radar, which works by sending electromagnetic (EM) pulses through an antenna to the road surface and then recording the reflected pulses from the internal interface. The authors of [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] conducted in-depth research on pavement thickness using GPR, and the thickness information of the road surface is determined by the pulse time. Since the pavement thickness is mostly less than 10 cm, the pulse peak difference is often only a few nanoseconds.…”

A Routine and Post-disaster Road Corridor Monitoring Framework for the Increased Resilience of Road Infrastructures

“…It maps the sub-surface level of structures and the state and location of cables or pipes. In road infrastructure monitoring, it has been used to inspect the state of pavements to detect layer thickness [66], moisture infiltration [67] or the presence of cracks [68] or cavities [69]. The main challenge with GPR is to discern the cause of the perceived signal because multiple anomalies could produce the same signal [69].…”