Skip to main content

GPR Data Processing Techniques

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar

Abstract

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a non-destructive geophysical method that uses radar pulses to image the subsurface. Notwithstanding that it is particularly promising for soil studies, GPR is characterised by notoriously difficult automated data analysis. Hence, the focus of this chapter is to provide the reader with a deep understanding of the state of the art and open issues in the field of GPR data processing techniques as well as of the interesting application of GPR in the field of civil engineering. In particular, we present an overview on noise suppression, deconvolution, migration, attribute analysis and classification techniques for GPR data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alani, A.M., Aboutalebi, M., Kilic, G.: Applications of ground penetrating radar (GPR) in bridge deck monitoring and assessment. J. Appl. Geophys. 97, 45–54 (2013). doi:10.1016/j.jappgeo.2013.04.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Annan, P.: GPR methods for hydrogeological studies. In: Rubin, Y., Hubbard, S.S. (eds.) Hydrogeophysics, vol. 50, pp. 185–213. Springer, Berlin (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Baili, J., Lahouar, S., Hergli, M., Al-Qadi, I., Besbes, K.: GPR signal denoising by discrete wavelet transform. NDT E Int. 42, 696–703 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bancroft, J., Guirigay, T., Isaac, H.:Enhancing a seismic image after migration using deconvolution, SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts, pp. 1–5 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bano, M.: Modelling of GPR waves for lossy media obeying a complex power law of frequency for dielectric permittivity. Geophys. Prospect. 52, 11–26 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bano, M., Loeffler, O., Girard, J.F.: Ground penetrating radar imaging and time-domain modelling of the infiltration of diesel fuel in a sandbox experiment. C.R. Geosci. 341, 846–858 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Battista, B., Addison, A., Knapp, C.: Empirical mode decomposition operator for dewowing GPR data. J. Environ. Eng. Geophys. 14(4), 163–169 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belina, F.A., Dafflon, B., Tronicke, J., Holliger, K.: Enhancing the vertical resolution of surface georadar data. J. Appl. Geophys. 68(1), 26–35 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benedetto, A., Benedetto, F.: Remote sensing of soil moisture content by GPR signal processing in the frequency domain. IEEE Sens. J. 11(10), 2432–2441 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benedetto, F., Tosti, F.: GPR spectral analysis for clay content evaluation by the frequency shift method. J. Appl. Geophys. 97, 87–96 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • Benedetto, A., Benedetto, F., De Blasiis, M.R., Giunta, G.: Reliability of signal processing technique for pavement damages detection and classification using ground penetrating radar. IEEE Sens. J. 5(3), 471–480 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berkhout, A.J.: Least-squares inverse filtering and wavelet deconvolution. Geophysics 42, 1369–1383 (1977)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Booth, A., Linford, N., Clark, R., Murray, T.: Three-dimensional, multi-offset ground-penetrating radar imaging of archaeological targets. Arch. Prosp. 15, 93–112 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford, J.H.: Applying reflection tomography in the post-migration domain to multi-fold ground-penetrating radar data. Geophysics 71, K1–K8 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford, J.H.: Measuring lateral and vertical heterogeneity in vadose zone water content using multi-fold GPR with reflection tomography. Vadose Zone J. 7, 184–193 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford, J., Wu, Y.: Instantaneous spectral analysis: time-frequency mapping via wavelet matching with application to contaminated-site characterization by 3D GPR. Lead. Edge 26, 1018–1023 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brooke, A., Maillol, J.: Multi-offset ground penetrating radar data for improved imaging in areas of lateral complexity—application at a native American site. J. Appl. Geophys. 62, 167–277 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J., Nichols, J., Steinbronn, L., Bradford, J.: Improved GPR interpretation through resolution of lateral velocity heterogeneity: example from an archaeological site investigation. J. Appl. Geophys. 68, 3–8 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carpentier, S.F.A., Horstmeyer, H., Green, A.G., Doetsch, J., Coscia, I.: Semiautomated suppression of above-surface diffractions in GPR data. Geophysics 75, J43–J50 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cassidy, N.J.: Ground penetrating radar data processing, modelling and analysis. In: Jol, H.M. (ed.) Ground Penetrating Radar: Theory and Applications, pp. 141–176. Elsevier, Sydney (2009). ISBN 978-0-444-53348-7

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Chahine, K., Baltazarta, V., Wang, Y., Déroberta, X.: Blind deconvolution via sparsity maximization applied to GPR data. Eur. J. Environ. Civ. Eng. 15(4), 575–586 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di, Q.Y., Wang, M.Y.: Migration of ground-penetrating radar data method with a finite element and dispersion. Geophysics 69(2), 472–477 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamanti, N., Redman, D., Field observations and numerical models of GPR response from vertical pavement cracks. J. Appl. Geophys. (2012, in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Economou, N., Vafidis, A., Spanoudakis, N.S., Hamdan, H.A., Niniou-Kindeli, V.: Application of classification methods on geophysical data from the archaeological site of Aptera, Chania, Greece. In: Near Surface Geophysics. EAGE, Istanbul (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Economou, N.: Development of GPR data processing techniques using S-transform. Ph.D dissertation at the School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Environmental Geotechnology Post-Graduate Program (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • Economou, N., Vafidis, A.: Spectral balancing GPR data using time variant band-width in t-f domain. Geophysics 75(3), J19–J27 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Economou, N., Vafidis, A.: Deterministic deconvolution for GPR data in t-f domain. Near Surf. Geophys. 9(5), 427–433 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Economou, N., Vafidis, A.: GPR data time varying deconvolution by kurtosis maximization. J. Appl. Geophys. 81, 117–121 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Economou, N., Vafidis, A., Hamdan, H., Kritikakis, G., Andronikidis, N., Dimitriadis, K.: Time varying deconvolution of GPR data in civil engineering. Nondestr. Test. Eval. 27(3), 285–292 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flandrin, P., Rilling, G., Goncalves, P.: Empirical mode decomposition as a filter bank. IEEE Sign. Proc. Lett. 11, 112–114 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao, D.: Application of seismic texture model regression to seismic facies characterization and interpretation. Lead. Edge 27, 394–397 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gray, S., Etgen, J., Dellinger, J., Whitmore, D.: Seismic migration problems and solutions. Geophysics 66(5), 1622–1640 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, N.E., Shen, Z., Long, S.R., Wu, M.L., Shih, H.H., Zheng, Q., Yen, N.C., Tung, C.C., Liu, H.H.: The empirical mode decomposition and Hilbert spectrum for nonlinear and nonstationary time series analysis. Roy. Soc. Lond. Ser. A Math. Phys. Eng. Sci. 454, 903–995 (1998)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Ihamouten, A., Chahine, K., Baltazart, V., Villain, G., Dérobert, X.: On the variants of Jonscher’s model for the electromagnetic characterization of concrete. IEEE Trans. Instr. Meas. 60(11), 3658–3668 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Irving, J.D., Knight, R.J.: Removal of wavelet dispersion from ground-penetrating radar data. Geophysics 68, 960–970 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeng, Y., Lin, C.H., Li, Y.W., Chen, C.S., Yu, H.M.: Application of sub-image multiresolution analysis of ground penetrating radar data in a study of shallow structure. J. Appl. Geophys. 73, 251–260 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jol, H.M.: Ground Penetrating Radar: Theory and Applications. Elsevier Science, Sydney (2009). ISBN 978-0-444-53348-7

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadioglu, S.: Photographing layer thicknesses and discontinuities in a marble quarry with 3D GPR visualization. J. Appl. Geophys. 64, 109–114 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kadioglu, S.: Definition of buried archaeological remains with a new 3D visualization technique of ground penetrating radar data set in temple Augustus in Ankara-Turkey. Near Surf. Geophys. Spec. Issue GPR Archaeol. 8(5), 397–406 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadioglu, S.: Transparent 2d/3d half bird’s-eye view of ground penetrating radar data set in archaeology and cultural heritage, chapter 5. In: Kharfi, F. (ed.) Imaging and Radioanalytical Techniques in Interdisciplinary Research-Fundamentals and Cutting Edge Applications. InTech, Croatia (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadioglu, S., Daniels, J.J.: 3D visualization of integrated GPR data and EM-61 data to determine buried objects and their characteristics. J. Geophys. Eng. 5, 448–456 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J.H., Cho, S.J., Yi, M.J.: Removal of ringing noise in GPR data by signal processing. J. Geosci. 11, 75–81 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lahouar, S.: Development of data analysis algorithms for interpretation of ground penetrating radar data. Ph.D. Dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Bastard, C., Baltazart, V., Wang, Y., Saillard, J.: Thin pavement thickness estimation using GPR with high and super resolution methods. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Rem. Sens. 45(8), 2511–2519 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LeBastard, C., Wang, Y., Baltazart, V., Dérobert, X.: Time delay and permittivity estimation by ground penetrating radar with support vector regression. IEEE Geos. Rem. Sens. Lett. 11(4), 349–353 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • Levy, S., Oldenburg, D.W.: The deconvolution of phase shifted wavelets. Geophysics 47, 1285–1294 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, L., Tan, A.E.-C., Jhamb, K., Rambabu, K.: Buried object characterization using ultra-wideband ground penetrating radar. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech. 60(8), 2654–2664 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, G., Fomel, S., Jin, L., Chen, X.: Seismic data stacking using local correlation. Geophysics 74, V43–V48 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lizzi, L., Viani, F., Rocca, P., Oliveri, G., Benedetti, M., Massa, A.: Three-dimensional real-time localization of subsurface objects—from theory to experimental validation. IEEE Int. Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symp., vol. 2, pp. II-121–II-124 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  • Loeffler, O., Bano, M.: Ground penetrating radar measurements in a controlled Vadose Zone: influence of the water content. Vadose Zone J. 3, 1082–1092 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • Longbottom, J., Walden, A.T., White, R.E.: Principles and application of maximum kurtosis phase estimation. Geophys. Prospect. 36, 115–138 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manica, L., Rocca, P., Salucci, M., Carlin, M., Massa, A.: Scattering data inversion through interval analysis under Rytov approximation. 7th European Conf. on Antennas Propag., Gothenburg, Sweden, 2013

    Google Scholar 

  • Massa, A., Boni, A., Donelli, M.: A classification approach based on SVM for electromagnetic subsurface sensing. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 43(9), 2084–2093 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClymont, A.F., Green, A.G., Streich, R., Horstmeyer, H., Tronicke, J., Nobes, D.C., Pettinga, J., Campbell, J., Langridge, R.: Visualization of active faults using geometric attributes of 3D GPR data: an example from the Alpine Fault Zone, New Zealand. Geophysics 73, 11–23 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neto, P., Medeiros, W.: A practical approach to correct attenuation effects in GPR data. J. Appl. Geophys. 59, 140–151 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nuzzo, L., Quarta, T.: Improvement in GPR coherent noise attenuation using t-p and wavelet transforms. Geophysics 69(3), 789–802 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveri, G., Rocca, P., Massa, A.: A Bayesian compressive sampling based inversion for imaging sparse scatterers. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 49(10), 3993–4006 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pipan, M., Baradello, L., Forte, E., Prizzon, A., Finetti, I.: 2-D and 3-D processing and interpretation of multi-fold ground penetrating radar data: a case history from an archaeological site. J. Appl. Geophys. 41, 271–292 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pipan, M., Baradello, L., Forte, E., Finetti, I.: Ground penetrating radar study of iron age tombs in southeastern Kazakhstan. Arch. Prosp. 8, 141–155 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pipan, M., Forte, E., Dal Moro, G., Sugan, M., Finetti, I.: Multifold ground-penetrating radar and resistivity to study the stratigraphy of shallow unconsolidated sediments. Lead. Edge 22, 876–880 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poli, L., Oliveri, G., Rocca, P., Massa, A.: Bayesian compressive sensing approaches for the reconstruction of two-dimensional sparse scatterers under TE illumination. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 51(5), 2920–2936 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saarenketo, T., Scullion, T.: Road evaluation with ground penetrating radar. J. Appl. Geophys. 43, 119–138 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salucci, M., Sartori, D., Anselmi, N., Randazzo, A., Oliveri, G., Massa, A.: Imaging buried objects within the second-order born approximation through a multiresolution regularized inexact-newton method, Electromagnetic Theory EMTS), Proceedings of 2013 URSI International Symposium on, 116–118 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  • Schimmel, M., Gallart, J.: Frequency-dependent phase coherence for noise suppression in seismic array data. J. Geophys. Res. 112, B04303 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmelzbach, C., Scherbaum, F., Tronicke, J., Dietrich, P.: Bayesian frequency-domain blind deconvolution of ground-penetrating radar data. J. Appl. Geophys. 75(4), 615–630 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sena, A., Stoffa, P., Sen, M.: Split-step Fourier migration of GPR data in lossy media. Geophysics 71, K77–K91 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shao, W., Bouzerdoum, A., Lam Phung, S., Lijun, S., Indraratna, B., Rujikiatkamjorn, C.: Automatic classification of ground penetrating radar signals for railway ballast assessment. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 49(10), 3961–3972 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanoudakis, N.,Vafidis, A.: GPR data interpretation using self organizing maps. In: Near Surface Geophysics. EAGE, Istanbul (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockwell, R.G., Mansinha, L., Lowe, R.P.: Localization of the complex spectrum: the S-transform. IEEE Trans. Sign. Proc. 44, 998–1001 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taner, T., Luo, Y., Kelamis, P., Kellogg, S., Craigie, E.:Frequency domain smoothing for enhanced seismic resolution, SEG Expanded Abstracts (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • Todoeschuck, J.P., LaFleche, P.T., Jensen, O.G., Judge, A.S., Pilon, J.A.: Deconvolution of ground probing radar data. In: Pilon, J. (ed.) Ground Penetrating Radar, Geological Survey of Canada, pp. 227– 230 (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, G.: Subsurface radar propagation deconvolution. Geophysics 59, 215–223 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vafidis, A., Manoutsoglou, M., Hamdan, H., Andronikidis, N., Koukadaki, M., Kritikakis, G., Oikonomou, N., Spanoudakis, N.: Geophysical survey at the Omalos plateau, Chania, Crete. In Proc. of the 10th Int. Congress Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece, vol. XXXVI, pp. 1204–1213. Thessaloniki, 2004

    Google Scholar 

  • Vafidis, A., Andronikidis, N., Economou, N., Panagopoulos, G., Zelilidis, A., Manoutsoglou, E.: Reprocessing and interpretation of seismic reflection data at Messara Basin, Crete, Greece. J. Balkan Geophys. Soc. 15(2), 31–40 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Baan, M.: Time-varying wavelet estimation and deconvolution by kurtosis maximization. Geophysics 73, V11–V18 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Baan, M.: Bandwidth enhancement: inverse Q filtering or time-varying Wiener deconvolution? Geophysics 77(4), V133–V142 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, R.E.: Maximum kurtosis phase correction. Geophys. Int. J. 95, 371–389 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xia, J., Franseen, E.K., Miller, R.D., Weis, T.V.: Application of deterministic deconvolution of ground-penetrating radar data in a study of carbonate strata. J. Appl. Geophys. 56, 213–229 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, W., Tian, G., Wang, B., Shi, Z., Lin, J.: Application of 3D GPR attribute technology in archaeological investigations. Appl. Geophys. 9(3), 261–269 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, Y.F., Li, Z., Zhou, L.C., Lv, D., Ying, M., Men, Y.: Increase the accuracy of GPR in tunnel detection. Adv. Mater. Res. 183–185, 1529–1533 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, H., Wan, X., Duan, R., Li, W.: Improved stolt migration algorithm for GPR imaging using segmentation velocity model. J. Comp. Inf. Syst. 7(16), 5829–5836 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the COST Action TU1208 “Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar”, in support of this chapter.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nikos Economou .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Economou, N., Vafidis, A., Benedetto, F., Alani, A.M. (2015). GPR Data Processing Techniques. In: Benedetto, A., Pajewski, L. (eds) Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar. Springer Transactions in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04813-0_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04813-0_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-04812-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-04813-0

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics