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Model Based Evaluation of Bridge Decks Using Ground Penetrating Radar
Author(s) -
Belli Kimberly,
WadiaFascetti Sara,
Rappaport Carey
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
computer‐aided civil and infrastructure engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.773
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1467-8667
pISSN - 1093-9687
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8667.2007.00516.x
Subject(s) - ground penetrating radar , radar , reflection (computer programming) , interpretation (philosophy) , computer science , ambiguity , bridge (graph theory) , radar imaging , nondestructive testing , geology , remote sensing , acoustics , telecommunications , medicine , physics , radiology , programming language
Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has become a viable technology for non‐destructive condition assessment of reinforced concrete structures. Interpretation of the radar signal is typically performed through preliminary filtering techniques and interpretation is based on viewing numerous signals in the form of a scan. Although anomalies can be evident in the scanned image, quantification and interpretation of the main issue remain ambiguous. This article presents the ambiguity and common methods of interpretation based on response amplitude and travel time. An integrated medium is developed and used as a forward modeling tool to generate a realistic radar reflection of a reinforced concrete bridge deck with defects. A healthy deck reflection is obtained from a separate model and is combined with an inverse solution to quantifiably estimate unknown subsurface properties such as layer thickness and dielectric constants of subsurface materials evident in the realistic radar trace as well as. The forward modeling tool and associated model based assessment provides an objective computational alternative to the interpretation of scanned images.