What Is GPR and How Is It Used in Construction?
Ground penetrating radar (GPR) uses pulses of electromagnetic energy to detect and map objects buried within concrete, soil and other materials. In construction it has become an essential tool for pre-works surveys, structural investigation and utility detection — providing information about what lies beneath the surface that cannot be obtained by any other non-destructive method.
How Does GPR Work?
GPR transmits short pulses of electromagnetic energy into the material. When a pulse reaches a boundary between materials with different electromagnetic properties — a steel bar, a plastic pipe, a void — part of the energy reflects back to the surface antenna. The equipment measures the return time, calculates the depth of the reflecting object, and displays a continuous cross-sectional radargram as the antenna moves along the survey surface.
What Does GPR Detect in Concrete?
GPR detects: steel reinforcement; post-tension tendon ducts; plastic pipes and HDPE conduits; metallic pipes and conduits; electrical cables in conduits; underfloor heating circuits; voids and delamination; the underside of slabs (for thickness measurement); and sub-base conditions below ground-bearing slabs. The key advantage over ferro scanning is that GPR detects non-metallic objects — plastic pipes, HDPE conduits and post-tension plastic ducts are all invisible to ferro scanning but clearly visible to GPR.
Limitations
GPR penetration depth decreases significantly in wet, saline or conductive materials — heavily chloride-contaminated concrete can reduce useful penetration to less than 100mm. Dense reinforcement attenuates the signal. Interpretation requires trained, experienced operatives — a radargram is not self-explanatory. BritCut operatives are trained and experienced in GPR interpretation across a wide range of structural applications.
BritCut provides GPR concrete scanning across the UK using the Proceq GP8000. Combined ferro scanning and GPR surveys are available in a single visit. Call us on 01322 221533 or request a free site survey. View our GPR scanning locations page.
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