What is Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)?

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a highly effective, non-destructive method used to evaluate subsurface conditions. While the technology itself has been around for decades, its application within the construction and environmental industries has grown significantly in recent years.

Today, GPR is most commonly used for:

• Concrete scanning (locating rebar, post-tension cables, and conduits)
• Utility locating (identifying buried infrastructure prior to excavation)

GPR provides critical information that helps reduce risk, prevent damage, and improve safety during construction activities.

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How Does GPR Work?

GPR operates by transmitting electromagnetic (radar) waves into a surface and measuring the time it takes for those waves to reflect back to the receiver after encountering subsurface features.

Different materials such as soil, metal, concrete, or voids interact with these radar waves in unique ways. These interactions produce distinct signal patterns (or “signatures”) that a trained GPR analyst interprets to identify potential hazards and subsurface conditions.