Simulating GPR for diagnosis of civil infrastructure

This work was supported in part by CenSSIS, the Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems, under the Engineering Research Centers Program of the National Science Foundation (Award Number EEC-9986821) Contact Information Laura Carey Civil Engineering Undergraduate Northeastern University Email: carey.l@neu.edu References (1)K. Belli, S. Wadia-Fascetti, and C. Rappaport, “Bridge Deck Condition Assessment Using GPR: A Model Based Approach,” Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 2006, tentatively approved. (2) Jeffrey J. Daniels. “Ground Penetrating Radar Fundamentals.” 25 November 2000. (1)ASCE. (2001) “Report Card for America’s Infrastructure” (2) Christopher L. Barnes, Jean-Francois Trottier. “Ground-Penetrating Radar for Network-Level Concrete Deck Repair Management.” J. Transp. Engrg., Volume 126, Issue 3, pp. 257-262 (May/June 2000) Abstract At the present, a large proportion of our nation’s bridges and roadways are falling into disrepair. About 27.5% of U.S. bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete (ASCE, 2001, 2003). Nondestructive testing methods, such as GPR, are becoming more and more important in diagnosing the condition of such concrete structures. GPR is a high-resolution electromagnetic technique used to investigate the immediate subsurface of the earth, building materials, roads, and bridges. This poster shows my work in GPR modeling during a summer undergraduate experience through CenSSIS. A specialized MATLAB toolbox designed by Kim Belli created all data presented here. The use of such modeling tools provides a deeper understanding of how GPR works and how to better interpret field data. The slides shown were taken from my concluding presentation given at Northeastern University on August 11, 2006.