Underfloor heating pipes are nearly always plastic. Consequently, a cover metre and other scanning methods are unable to detect them. In contrast, using GPR scanning identifies underfloor heating pipes quickly and efficiently. It can detect and locate both metal and plastic pipes.

Whether you need to locate tendons to assess their condition, verify their presence, or accurately locate them before cutting or drilling concrete, GPR is probably the most reliable concrete scanning method for detecting tendons. Tendons are usually located behind a layer of reinforcement, and using GPR utility survey is the most effective method for finding them. Consequently, most other techniques can’t detect them.

Mapping bedrock can be useful for other applications, such as installing a private well or mining another resource. Underground aquifers can be determined through gridded scans, provided the natural environment is compatible with geophysical mapping techniques. 

Concrete scanning is probably most commonly used for rebar (reinforcing bar) location. The GPR scanning ensures that all the reinforcement and other utilities in concretes are located prior to any excavation or drilling. In most cases, the surveyor only scans the area where the intrusive works will be carried out, marking up detected rebar and other features in-situ. In this type of scenario, it is not necessary to determine the full distribution of the reinforcement.

GPR can provide thickness readings for concrete slabs, screeds, walls, road construction, and more. Besides that, GPR surveys can also detect variations in the thickness and construction details. Typically, only one-sided access is required.

Before the emergence of state-of-the-art non-destructive mapping tools, such as GPR, traditional methods like drilling or digging were the main ways to find the depth of the bedrock layer beneath the surface. These methods are expensive and intrusive to the land while only focusing on test hole areas. Although drilling and excavating are still the most regularly used methods to investigate the subsurface, they have limitations. Geophysical mapping, in comparison, is less time-consuming and can give coverage of a much larger area than could be done by one drill crew at the same time. As a result, geophysical tools like GPR have been quite popular in the past years and have been named a predominant tool to use. Cooperation with environmental and engineering companies on the same project allows for a multitude of subsurface data to be assessed. When the geophysical data is compared and combined with geotechnical samples, one can create an even more detailed subsurface model.

Often dissolution features, such as sinkholes and voids, develop due to water movement through subsurface drainage systems within soluble rocks, like dolomite and limestone. These voids create impediments to a stable construction foundation – particularly in near-surface situations. Moreover, operating heavy equipment when uncharted gaps exist beneath the surface can be extremely dangerous. In industrial landscapes, professionals find out that faulty construction, pipeline leaks, or rogue chemical dispersions are generally culprits in an accelerated rate of soil erosion and void features. More often than not, these problems are identified within the first ten feet of the ground. Therefore, most site developers and project planners tend to get aid from the service of GPR surveyors. Detecting sinkholes and voids requires a thorough investigation and mapping to aid in construction development. Depending on your absolute survey depth and budget, you can find professionals who can offer multiple instrumentations that can accurately detect and subsurface structures and voids. Professionals may also use advanced GPR post-processing and imaging software where they can form a 3D picture of what they have detected underground. They will see how the sinkholes, voids, and subsidence look like by producing a CAD drawing. With this technology, you can detect both deep and shallow sinkholes, artificial voids, and more.

The service of professional GPR surveyors is a vital part of the engineering and constructing processes. They ensure that there aren’t any unforeseen utilities, such as pipework, underground that can cause delays and setbacks of the construction. Hopefully, after reading this article, you get to learned the reasons why getting a GPR surveyor is essential, and you will prioritise looking for one if you have a project to start.