Determination of the Best Ground Penetrating Radar Source Signal Type for the Accurate Location of Underground Utilities

摘要

This investigation was to determine the best ground-penetrating radar (GPR) source signal applicable for locating underground utilities and other construction obstacles. Four types of GPR systems were tested: Two time-domain short-pulse radars, one swept frequency FM-CW system, and one stepped-FM system. The performance of the systems were compared by examining their time-domain or simulated time-domain responses. The detection problem was modeled analytically to evaluate the expected performance of the GPR systems. Tests were conducted in a scale-model tank with two soils of differing dielectric properties. Specially designed shielded triangular-sheet dipole antennas were used for comparison tests. It is concluded that a frequency-domain GPR based on a stepped-frequency design provides the highest performance capabilities. The general performance of a full-scale version of such a GPR was demonstrated in an outdoor test field containing buried plastic and metal pipes. (rh)