How GPR Works

Basic principles
A radar system includes a
radio transmitter and
receiver, connected to a
pair of antennas coupled to
the ground. The transmitted
signal penetrates a short
distance into the ground
and some of it reflects off
any object with different
electrical properties than
the host dirt. Since plastic
pipe and voids are different
than dirt, these are some of
the objects which reflect
the signal. The radio signal
that reflects from the object
in the ground arrives a little
later in time. Echo sounds
and fish finders work in a
similar fashion.

How an image is
formed
To construct an image that
the operator can interpret,
the radar plots the echo
from the object on some
sort of display, usually a
screen like a computer. The
radar is moved along the
ground and each new echo
is plotted alongside the
previous ones. When
enough of these signals are
plotted side-by-side, the
operator can see a pattern
which he can interpret as
an object.
Many samples
form a
hyperbola
When the object is ahead
of the radar, it takes more
time for the echo to bounce
back to the antenna. As it
passes over, the time grows
shorter, and then longer
again as it goes past the
object. This effect causes
the image to take the shape
of a curve called a
"hyperbola". Experienced
users recognize that a
hyperbola is actually the
image of a smaller object
(like a pipe) located at the
center. Other patterns are
produced by different
structures. For example, a
buried tank might have a
flat image with curves
down from either end.

Some images are

ambiguous
A hyperbola resulted from
crossing a pipe, but what if
you follow one? The image
is a straight line, since the
distance from the pipe
doesn't change. The
problem is that other
conditions will produce the
same effect, especially
layers in the soil, bedrock,
or the groundwater table.
So, it is difficult to map
pipes by following them as
is done with other locating
methods. Instead, a
meandering crossing of the
pipe is needed.

The effects of
antenna
pattern
There are different types of
antennas with different
beam shapes. The common
bowtie or dipole antennas
have a very wide beam and
a horizontal polarization.
Consequently, the
hyperbolas are very wide.
Log-spiral antennas (like
those used on the
GeoRadar 1000B) have a
narrow beam with circular
polarization. The difference
is like comparing a
floodlight to a spotlight.
The narrow beam on the
GeoRadar system creates
images that look more like
the actual target, and
closely-spaced objects can
be resolved. See the section
on Why stepped-FM is
better to compare the two
types of systems.
How deep is the
object?
It is not easy to determine
the depth of an object
without some knowledge
about the dielectric
constant in the local soil.
The GPR can measure time
very accurately, but the
speed of the radar signal
varies considerably with
the soil type. In air, radar
waves travel at 186,000
miles per second (or about
1 foot in one nanosecond).
If you know the dielectric
constant (from experience)
or if you can look at the
image of an object with a
known depth, the GPR can
be adjusted to read depth
acurately.