Bridge Deck Investigations Using Ground Penetrating Radar

Aleksandra V. Varnavina, Aleksey K. Khamzin, and Evgeniy V. Torgashov
Missouri University of Science and Technology

Ground penetrating radar data were acquired across eleven bridge decks in central Missouri in an effort to demonstrate the utility and cost-effectiveness of using a high-frequency ground-coupled ground penetrating radar system to assess the condition of bridge decks. Areas of degradation (both half-deck and full-deck) were identified based on rebar amplitudes and apparent depths (top layer of rebar in both the upper and lower mats). Core control was acquired in each span of each lane in order to verify and constrain the geophysical interpretations. The bridge decks were intentionally oversampled (traverse spacing and scans per inch) so that optimum acquisition parameters could be identified. With respect to the utility of the geophysical data sets, the primary objective was to demonstrate that high-frequency ground penetrating radar control can be used to reliably assess the integrity of bridge decks (both halfdeck and full-deck). With respect to cost-effectiveness, the cost-benefit of the tool was assessed based on the usefulness of the relevant interpretations to the Missouri Department of Transportation and the estimated cost of generating the interpretations. Optimum acquisition parameters were also identified.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90182©2013 AAPG/SEG Student Expo, Houston, Texas, September 16-17, 2013