Commercial GPR

Whether building new, renovating, or trying to identify a problem area, business owners and municipalities rely on commercial GPR services to show them what’s beneath the surface. GPR Arkansas is the region’s leading GPR company.

Our system can locate and visualize items below the surface, such as pipes, conduits, cables, rebar, and storage tanks. In addition to these structures, GPR can also identify voids, backfilled areas, cracks, and other ground disturbances. Additionally, our GPR can be used to inspect building materials, detecting cracks and other structural issues below the surface.


What is Commercial GPR?

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a non-invasive method of surveying what’s beneath the surface. 

A portable GPR cart, roughly the size of a push lawnmower, features a transmitter and antenna. As the cart passes over a grid-style surveyed area, high-frequency radio waves pass into the ground.

When the radio waves encounter a buried object or the boundary between materials with different permittivities, the wave is bounced back to the surface.

The GPR cart’s receiving antenna records the return signal variations and creates a GPR survey report. Expert GPR technicians are able to analyze the report and pinpoint where disturbances, such as utility lines or voids, occur beneath the surface.


How Deep Can Ground-Penetrating Radar See?

The type of material being surveyed will affect how deeply GPR radio waves can “see.” Radar signals travel at different velocities through different materials.

Generally, GPR waves can “see” deeper when scanning dry sandy soils or dry material such as concrete, limestone, or granite. GPR waves can penetrate nearly 50 feet in those cases.

In wet or clay-laden soils or materials with high electrical conductivity, the soil absorbs the waves, making it difficult for signals to penetrate. In wet or clay-laden soils, GPR may only be possible to view objects a few inches below the surface. 

Graphic showing how commercial ground penetrating radar works

The speed at which the radio wave travels also depends upon the composition of the material in question. Different materials will result in signals traveling at different velocities.


Is GPR safe?

Yes. Ground-penetrating radar is exceptionally safe for both the operator and any spectators. GPR only emits roughly 1% of the power of a cell phone signal. 


What are GPR’s commercial applications?

Design & planning

When planning new construction, renovation, or remodeling, obtaining accurate information about the area in question is important. Commercial GPR can be used to scan large areas before construction. A detailed understanding of what’s beneath the surface can assist with architectural designs, drawings, and modeling.

Concrete coring & saw cutting

Drilling into the unknown, especially in a commercial setting, comes at a risk. Before core drilling or anchoring, a GPR scan will return data on any vertical or horizontal hazards. 

Concrete scanning before coring is perfect for locating rebar, post-tension cables, embedded electrical conduits, refrigerant lines, voids, and cracks in concrete. GPR Arkansas inspects concrete slabs such as patios, driveways, decks, warehouse floors, tunnels, and garages. Locating any obstructions in the concrete before you drill, cut, or core a concrete slab is important.

Structural analysis

You can rely on ground-penetrating radar to provide an overview of what’s beneath a structure. Structural engineers and project managers can use data from the GPR survey to understand concrete thickness, rebar and post-tension depth and spacing, and the size of footings or foundations. 

Locating leaks, voids, or backfill

Commercial GPR can identify voids, backfilled areas, cracks, and other ground disturbances, including leaking water lines. GPR can be used to inspect building materials and detect cracks or other structural issues below the surface.

Identifying buried objects

On any commercial site, several items may be buried or forgotten. Ground-penetrating radar can locate storage tanks, abandoned structures, outdated and unused pipes or conduits, and other mystery items


What Can We Find With GPR?

Read more about our GPR Commercial projects.


What Are the Advantages of Using Commercial GPR?

GPR Arkanas' GPR cart used to detect an underground water leak in a boiler room.

Ground-penetrating radar has several advantages over other methods of surface penetration, including:

Non-invasive

Because GPR involves scanning concrete or soil, there’s no need to mindlessly dig, saw-cut, or core to discover what’s beneath the surface. Ground-penetrating radar can survey the area before breaking the ground surface or concrete. Have peace of mind that the area is safe for excavation or construction projects.

Can be used indoors

A GPR cart can be used indoors or outdoors, which is the perfect way to survey indoor spaces like retail stores, warehouses, factories, or commercial buildings. It’s a quiet process, so noise issues are no concern.

Can be done quickly

GPR is an efficient and fast technology, with initial results available almost immediately. GPR carts allow large areas to be scanned. Marking a location and then scanning can be done with ease.

Can see non-metallic features

One of the most significant advantages of GPR is that it’s an essential tool when searching for metallic or non-metallic features, such as plastic water lines, underground tanks, or water leaks.

Can prevent costly mistakes

Knowing what’s beneath the surface before you excavate or drill protects employees from injuries and equipment, as well as existing structures, from damage. Detection equals protection. Understanding what you will encounter beneath the surface prevents costly mistakes. 


GPR Arkansas is the leader in Commercial GPR services

At GPR Arkansas, we are leaders in ground-penetrating radar surveys. Our experienced technicians are available to help with your subsurface scanning needs. Contact GPR Arkansas today.

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