SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASPHALT DENSITY AND SOIL MOISTURE MEASUREMENTS USING GROUND PENETRATING RADAR

• US 20150268218A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Ernest Troxler
• Original Assignee: Robert Ernest Troxler
• Inventors: TROXLER, ROBERT ERNEST
• Granted Patent: US 10,145,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/235 Rolling apparatus designed to roll following a path other than essentially linear, e.g. epicycloidal
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 22/04 Investigating moisture content
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/246 for water content
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/42 Road-making materials G01N33/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/24 by observing the transmission of wave or particle radiation through the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/32 using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005

Abstract

Systems and methods for ground penetrating radar for determining thickness, density and moisture are therefore provided. According to an embodiment, a ground penetrating radar (GPR) system comprises a system controller configured to produce an electromagnetic signal for signal penetration of a pavement material. Further, the GPR system comprises a frequency modulated continuous wave controller. Further, the GPR system comprises an ultra wide band (UWB) antenna coupled to the system controller, wherein the UWB antenna is configured to transmit the produced electromagnetic signal to the pavement material and receive the electromagnetic signal as a reflection from the pavement material. Further, the system controller is further configured to receive the electromagnetic signal from the UWB antenna.

Claims

1. A ground penetrating radar system comprising:

a system controller configured to produce an electromagnetic signal for signal penetration of a pavement material;

a frequency modulated continuous wave controller; and

an ultra wide band (UWB) antenna coupled to the system controller, wherein the UWB antenna is configured to transmit the produced electromagnetic signal to the pavement material and receive the electromagnetic signal as a reflection from the pavement material; and

wherein the system controller is further configured to receive the electromagnetic signal from the UWB antenna.

2. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 1, wherein a permittivity probe is mounted on to the antenna and in contact with the surface for ground truth data and reducing thickness errors.

3. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further configured to determine thickness of the pavement material based on the received electromagnetic signal reflected from the pavement material.

4. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further configured to attain at least one of a relative or absolute dielectric constant of the pavement material based on a received first frequency reflection signal and a second frequency reflection signal.

5. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 4, wherein the system controller is further configured to determine the density of the pavement material based on the measured dielectric constant of the pavement material.

6. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 5, wherein the system controller is further configured to determine one of thickness, density, modulus and moisture content of the pavement material based on a frequency difference between the transmitted electromagnetic signal and the received electromagnetic signal.

7. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 6, wherein the system controller is further configured to adjust the determined density of the pavement material based on the determined surface roughness of the pavement material.

8. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 7, wherein the system controller is further configured to determine moisture content of the pavement material based on the measured dielectric constant.

9. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 6, wherein the system controller is further configured to adjust the determined moisture content of the pavement material based on the determined surface roughness of the pavement material.

10. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 8, wherein the system controller is further configured for dual use, wherein the system controller is capable of switching from a moisture mode to an asphalt mode.

11. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic signal is a frequency modulated continuous wave signal.

12. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic signal is a time domain modulated pulse signal.

13. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 1, wherein the pavement material is one of soil, aggregate, rock, asphalt, cement and concrete.

14. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 1, further configured to be coupled with an intelligent compaction unit or intelligent compaction roller.

15. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 14, wherein the system controller is configured to measure thickness of the pavement material.

16. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 14, wherein the system is configured to measure moisture of the pavement material.

17. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 14, wherein the system is configured to measure density and modulus of the pavement material.

18. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 14, wherein the system is configured to aid in obtaining optimum compaction of a soil by monitoring soil moisture.

19. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 14, wherein the system is configured to aid in obtaining optimum compaction of a soil by monitoring at least one of soil moisture, density, modulus and the rolling pattern, and displaying progress on a display

20. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 1, further comprising a positioning system.

21. The ground penetrating radar system of claim 20, wherein the positioning system is a Global Positioning System unit.

22. A method comprising:

producing, by a system controller, an electromagnetic signal for signal penetration of a pavement material, wherein the system controller is a frequency modulated continuous wave controller; and

transmitting, by an ultra wide band (UWB) antenna coupled to the system controller, the produced electromagnetic signal to the pavement material and receive the electromagnetic signal as a reflection from the pavement material; and

receiving, by the system controller, the electromagnetic signal from the UWB antenna.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

mounting the permittivity probe on to the antenna; and

placing the permittivity probe in contact with the surface for ground truth data and reducing thickness errors.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining, by the system controller, the thickness of the pavement material based on the received electromagnetic signal reflected from the pavement material.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising attaining, by the system controller, at least one of a relative or absolute dielectric constant of the pavement material based on a received first frequency reflection signal and a second frequency reflection signal.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising determining, by the system controller, the density of the pavement material based on the measured dielectric constant of the pavement material.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising determining, by the system controller, one of thickness, density, modulus and moisture content of the pavement material based on a frequency difference between the transmitted electromagnetic signal and the received electromagnetic signal.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising adjusting, by the system controller, the determined density of the pavement material based on the determined surface roughness of the pavement material.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising determining, by the system controller, moisture content of the pavement material based on the measured dielectric constant.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising adjusting, by the system controller, the determined moisture content of the pavement material based on the determined surface roughness of the pavement material.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the system controller is further configured for dual use, wherein the system controller is capable of switching from a moisture mode to an asphalt mode.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein the electromagnetic signal is a frequency modulated continuous wave signal.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein the electromagnetic signal is a time domain modulated pulse signal.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein the pavement material is one of soil, aggregate, rock, asphalt, cement and concrete.

35. The method of claim 22, further configured to be coupled with an intelligent compaction unit or intelligent compaction roller.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the system controller is configured to measure thickness of the pavement material.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the system is configured to measure moisture of the pavement material.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the system is configured to measure density and modulus of the pavement material.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the system is configured to aid in obtaining optimum compaction of a soil by monitoring soil moisture.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the system is configured to aid in obtaining optimum compaction of a soil by monitoring at least one of soil moisture, density, modulus and the rolling pattern, and displaying progress on a display

41. The method of claim 22, further comprising a positioning system.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the positioning system is a Global Positioning System unit.