A step towards quantitative target analysis for GPR

Abstract

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been employed as an effective means for mapping features buried in the ground or in man-made structures for several decades. The content of a typical GPR reflection profile is graphically displayed showing the signal amplitude versus space and time after signal emission. The position and travel time information of features are then used to characterize target spatial position and depth. We refer to this as `qualitative' analysis, which depends heavily on the human visual interaction with the data. There is a wealth of information in the GPR signal vector fields which is seldom used. Quantitative analysis entails using the amplitude information for more than just a visual selection of target presence. In this paper, we postulate a model similar to the radar range equation approach that can help with simple performance prediction and automated data reduction to material and target parameters. We illustrate the use of three-dimensional (3D) numerical modelling to ascertain the reliability of simplifying assumptions and develop simple models to characterize targets. This approach holds the promise of enabling quantitative data analysis without resorting to complex numerical modelling.