Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) Applied to Detect Underground Pipes

It is very important to detect underground pipes for urban planning, designing, construction and management. To know the distribution of underground pipes, GPR is available to provide real-time profile diagrams on the site which are clear and direct because of its high resolution, quick detection and non-destructive feature. The radar is efficient - especially when conventional methods fail to detect - and it is applicable to the detection of all kinds of metal and non-metal pipes. In this paper, the detecting principles, methods, and techniques of the radar are introduced. In addition, the paper also analyzes and summarizes the features for underground pipes made from different materials shown on radar image profiles with application cases in order to prove its effectiveness.