Become An Inventor > Ground Penetration Radar

Seeing Through Ground

Seeing through ground and locating objects, both metallic and non-metallic, is of a great importance, especially when finding a mine can save human lives. For this purpose, the so-called "ground penetration radar (GPR)" was developed. The basic principle of ground penetration radar can be observed in the picture taken from US patent 3831173 titled "Ground Radar System".

Many attempts have been made in the past to utilize radar or similar devices to determine the location of underground objects. However, these devices have commonly met failure. One of the basic problems has been in considering radar principles. The problems associated with radar are normally directed to far field effects in their antenna designs. In contradistinction to those areas the present invention is directed to a radar whose antenna exploits the near field effects and not only neglects but excludes far field effects as clutter.

The solution: A system for locating underground objects, such as pipes, utility lines, culverts, ledges, and like kinds of underground discontinuities, including voids to depths in excess of 10 feet, includes a basic radar having a special antenna design which launches radiation that penetrates the earth and receives reflections from underground discontinuities for recordation in a moving vehicle.

Currently, GPR is used for soil investigations, controlling the advancement of horizontal directional drilling equipment, etc. In the future, companies plan to use this technology to find water on Moon and Mars!