Influence of data acquisition speed on pavement layer thickness determined by GPR

Bezina, Šime; Stančerić, Ivica; Rukavina, Tatjana; Domitrović, Josipa · 2022 · Crossref

DOI: 10.5592/co/cetra.2022.1423

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Summary

This study investigates the impact of data acquisition speed on the accuracy and repeatability of Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) measurements for determining pavement layer thickness. Accurate thickness data is essential for estimating bearing capacity, assessing remaining service life, and planning maintenance. While traditional methods like coring are destructive and provide only point-specific data, GPR offers continuous, non-destructive profiling without traffic interruption. Previous research established GPR error rates between 3% and 12%, but the specific influence of vehicle speed on measurement quality required further validation. The research was conducted on a 100-meter subsection of the B8 expressway in Croatia, which features asphalt surf and base layers over a compacted crushed stone aggregate base. A survey vehicle equipped with a 1.0 GHz air-coupled GPR system collected data at speeds ranging from 30 to 100 km/h in 10 km/h increments. For each speed, three measurement passes were performed to assess repeatability. Data processing involved applying range gain and finite impulse response filters to reduce noise, followed by interpretation using RADAN 6.6 software to identify layer boundaries based on electromagnetic wave reflections. To validate accuracy, a physical core was extracted from the test section, revealing a total asphalt thickness of 120 mm. Statistical analysis of the GPR data demonstrated high repeatability across all tested speeds. The standard deviation of thickness measurements ranged narrowly from 0.008 to 0.010, and the coefficient of variation ranged from 6.247% to 7.433%. When comparing GPR-derived thickness values at the core location against the actual core measurement, the relative error ranged from 5.0% to 7.5%. Specifically, average GPR thickness values at the core site varied between 126 mm and 129 mm depending on speed, with no significant trend indicating that higher speeds degraded accuracy. The minimum recorded thickness was 104 mm at 40 km/h, while the maximum was 160 mm at 30 and 90 km/h, reflecting natural pavement variability rather than speed-induced error. The study concludes that data acquisition speed does not significantly affect the accuracy or repeatability of GPR-determined asphalt layer thickness within the tested range of 30 to 100 km/h. The observed error rates are consistent with previous international studies. However, the authors note that operational speed must remain within limits defined by the GPR system’s scan rate and spatial resolution requirements. These findings support the use of high-speed GPR surveys for efficient, large-scale pavement condition assessments without compromising data quality.

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