A bore-head GPR for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) equipment

This paper describes a project entitled 'ORFEUS', supported by the European Commission's 7th Framework development programme. Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) offers significant benefits for urban environments by minimising the disruption caused by street works. Use of the technique demands an accurate knowledge of underground utility assets and other obstructions in the drill path. This project is aimed at improving the results of a previous project developed under the 6th Framework programme; specifically it addresses some issues that were formerly unresolved, in order to produce a commercially viable product. In fact, ORFEUS activities concern the research of the optimum antenna configuration, the design of an angular position sensor and a communication module, as well as the identification/validation of the most effective bore-head GPR data processing algorithms. The final system is expected to offer the operator information directly from the drilling head, in real time, allowing objects to be avoided; this is a unique feature that will enhance safety and efficiency, reduce risk, reduce the environmental impact (e.g. damage to natural habitats, less CO2 emissions) and lead to positive economic benefits in terms of cost and time savings for the operator, manufacturers and wider supply chain.