Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ground penetrating radar signal processing improves mapping accuracy of underground voids and seawater table: an application in deteriorating coastal structure, Nanfangao Port, Taiwan

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

Efficient restoration of deteriorating coastal structures requires an accurate picture of both above ground and underground features. Although ground penetrating radar (GPR) can map underground features, it creates reflection artifacts. Here, a model for deconvolution calibration was developed in an outdoor small-scale experiment. GPR parameters were established, then applied at a deteriorating fishing port in northeast Taiwan. The deconvolution filter removed repetitive reflection patterns under the lowest part of the void creating a more accurate map. A 3D-map was created from interpolated sketched void boundaries. Due to its high lossy nature at radar frequencies and large contrasting relative dielectric permittivity (RDP) to the upper medium, the seawater table (SWT) is easily identified. The upper boundary of reflection-free area in the deconvoluted radargram, therefore, indicates the SWT. The methods developed here are easily modified to fit a wide range of situations.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Benson AK (1995) Applications of ground penetrating radar in assessing some geological hazards: examples of groundwater contamination, faults, cavities. J Appl Geophys 33:177–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beres M, Luetscher M, Olivier R (2001) Integration of ground-penetrating radar and microgravimetric methods to map shallow caves. J Appl Geophys 46:249–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamberlain AT (2000) Cave detection in limestone using ground penetrating radar. J Archaeol Sci 27:957–964

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng DK (1989) Field and wave electromagnetics. Addison-Wesley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Conyers LB, Goodman D (1997) Ground-penetrating radar: an introduction for archaeologists. AltaMira, Walnut Creek

  • Daniels DJ (2004) Ground penetrating radar. 2nd edn. The Institution of Electrical Engineers, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniels JJ, Roberts R, Vendl M (1995) Ground penetrating radar for the detection of liquid contamination. J Appl Geophys 33:195–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis JL, Annan AP (1989) Ground-penetrating radar for high-resolution mapping of soil and rock stratigraphy. Geophys Prospect 37:531–551

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doolittle JA, Jenkinson BJ, Franzmeier DP, Lynn W (2000) Improved radar interpretations of water table depths and groundwater flow patterns using predictive equations. Eighth International Conference on Ground-penetrating radar, The University of Queensland, Goldcoast, pp 488–495

  • Du HI (2000) The application of ground-penetrating radar in a serpentine quarry. Master thesis, National Central University (in Chinese)

  • Geophysical Survey System Inc. (GSSI) (2003) Radan for windows (version 5.0, user’s manual). GSSI, North Salem

  • Goodman D (1994) Ground-penetrating radar simulation in engineering and archaeology. Geophysics 59:224–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grandjean G, Gourry JC (1996) GPR data processing for 3D-fracture mapping in a marble quarry (Thassos, Greece). J Appl Geophys 36:19–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grasmueck M (1996) 3D ground-penetrating radar applied to fracture imaging in gneiss. Geophysics 61:1050–1064

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inan US, Inan AS (2000) Electromagnetic waves. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

  • Jol HM (1995) Ground penetrating radar antennae frequencies and transmitter powers comparedfor penetration depth, resolution and reflection continuity. Geophys Prospect 43:693–709

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuo CW (2005) Taiwan professional civil engineers association. Expertise report, Banciao (in Chinese)

  • Lin MH (2000) Application of ground penetrating radar in void analysis. Master thesis, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan (in Chinese)

  • Malagodi S, Orlando L, Piro S, Rosso F (1996) Location of archaeological structures using GPR method: three-dimensional data acquisition and radar signal processing. Archaeol Prospect 3:13–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakashima Y, Zhou H, Sato M (2001) Estimation of groundwater level by GPR in an area with multiple ambiguous reflections. J Appl Geophys 47:241–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neves FA, Miller JA, Roulston MS (1996) Source signature deconvolution of ground penetrating radar data. Proceedings of sixth international conference on ground penetrating radar, Sendai, pp 573–578

  • Porsani JL, Sauck WA, Júnior AOS (2006) GPR for mapping fractures and as a guide for the extraction of ornamental granite from a quarry: a case study from southern Brazil. J Appl Geophys 58:177–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rees HV, Glover JM (1992) Digital enhancement of ground probing radar data. In: Pilon JA (ed) Ground penetrating radar, Geological Survey of Canada paper 90-4:187–192

  • Silva CCN, Medeiros WE, Sa EFJ, Neto PX (2004) Resistivity and ground-penetrating radar images of fractures in a crystalline aquifer: a case study in Caiçara farm—NE Brazil. J Appl Geophys 56:295–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevens KM, Lodha GS, Holloway AL, Soonawala NM (1995) The application of ground penetrating radar for mapping fractures in plutonic rocks within the Whiteshell Research Area, Pinawa, Manitoba, Canada. J Appl Geophys 33:125–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulriksen CPF (1995) Application of impulse radar to civil engineering. Lund, Sweden

    Google Scholar 

  • Xia JH, Franseen EK, Miller RD (2003) Improving ground-penetrating radar in sedimentary rocks using deterministic deconvolution. J Appl Geophys 54:15–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yilmaz Ö (1987) Seismic data processing. Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Tulsa

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to the National Science Council for the support of this research (project number: NSC 93-2119-M-019-001). Thanks are also due to Mr. J. G. Sie and C.W. Kuo for the assistance of site data collection and Mr. S. K. Chang for the software instruction.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Applied Geosciences, National Taiwan Ocean University, No. 2, Peiling Road, Keelung, 202, Taiwan

    Yun-Li Chen & Joseph Jinder Chow

Authors
  1. Yun-Li Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Joseph Jinder Chow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joseph Jinder Chow.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, YL., Chow, J.J. Ground penetrating radar signal processing improves mapping accuracy of underground voids and seawater table: an application in deteriorating coastal structure, Nanfangao Port, Taiwan. Environ Geol 53, 445–455 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0660-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0660-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation