EasyRad GPR 20-400 MHz

Portable multi-purpose scanning ground penetrating radar
of sub-surface probing and profiling for the problems
of engineering geology, hydrogeology, archeology, ecology, field engineering as well as for search and rescue operations

Exclusive Functional Characteristics:

easy handling during probing and profiling operations of objects;

information display in a readily understandable format for a user, undergone basic self theoretical instruction;

live video - indication of results of probing and profiling operations in real time on the screen;

capability for further processing of the saved results of probing and profiling operations in a variety of graphic packages as well as in 2D, 3D and video formats;

possibility of quick spreading of antennamitter and receiving box at considerable distance for a detailed exploration of deep seated features;

possibility of the sub-surface profiling of objects from the board of vehicles, air vehicles (Pro version), on ice and water;

possibility to analyze electrical characteristics, humidity and velocity of radio-wave propagation in the soil layers to a precision of up to 10% what considerably increase the accuracy of identification of the occurrence depth level of boundaries of inhomogeneous of subsoil;

identification of physical characteristics of non-uniformities of subsurface structure of subsoil as well as the moisture distribution in depth with an accuracy of up to 15%;

possibility of signals separation, reflected from the low-contrast layers (level of subsoil water, layer of liquid petroleum products, etc.) at depths up to 15 (30-50 Pro version) meters;

use of complex radiophysical and hydrogeological information in the form of models of physical processes in the process of interpretation of the results of probing and profiling operations.

Geotechnical Issues to Solve:

Nondestructive diagnostic testing of the soil condition beneath the surface of urban areas, industrial sites and separate unique installations (evaluation of moisture of layers, detection and mapping of distribution of leakage water zones, assessment of flooding, detection of voids and the soil decompression).

Assessment of the condition of the subsurface structure of subsoil of dams, embankments, coast defenses, quays (evaluation of the moisture level of the soil layers, the degree of decompression).

Control over the condition of road surfaces, soil and fill under railway bed.

Assessment and diagnostic testing of the subsurface structure and the soil condition of landslides, mapping of the areas of their distribution as well as evaluation of their sustainability.

Mapping of the areas of distribution of liquid petroleum products (lenses) as a result of unauthorized leaks and accidents beneath the surface of industrial and technology-related areas.

Mapping of underground communication facilities (cables, pipelines and other underground facilities).

Identification of condition of foundations and building structure of existing installations.

Detection of non-homogeneity of the subsurface structure of soil, associated with archeological artifacts.

Area survey during field engineering and search and rescue operations.

Ground Penetrating Radar Operating Principle

The device refers to a class of single-pulse stroboscopic ground penetrating radars of subsurface probing (GPR) to a category of ultra wide-band technology (UWB) and is one of the instruments of probing the subsoil structure at a depth of several tens of meters in order to detect and identify the spatial boundaries of attitude of different kinds of subsurface non-homogeneities (objects, which have got different from the environment characteristics: dielectric constant and conductance, for example, of a humidity zone, soil softening zones, voids, embedment of more/less solid substance, etc.).
Ground penetrating radar operating principle is based on probing of physical medium with the electromagnetic impulses height of 1 (5-10 Pro version) kilovolt with a duration within the order of 2-8 nanoseconds and registration of height and time delay of return signals from the borders of the environment sectioning with different dielectric constant. GPR allows to probe the subsoil at a depth of 15 (30-50 Pro version) meters.
The probing signal induced by the antenna of GPR spreads under the surface of ground, dying out progressively as spreading, and, meeting the non-homogeneity, partially reflects in various directions, as well as in the direction of the receiving antenna. Level of incoming signals depends on the reflection coefficient of signals from a subsurface non-homogeneity. The reflection coefficient depends on how much the electrical parameters of non-homogeneities are different from the parameters of the environment. The more such difference is, the higher is the reflected signal. One piece of a signal goes further and reflects from another non-homogeneity and so on until the complete dying out of the signal.
Table 1.1. lists electrical specification, radio propagation velocity and attenuation coefficient of environments most met in practice.
The distance to homogeneities is defined by the time of incoming signal delay with respect to the induced one.

Table 1.1 Natural Properties of Natural Environments

Environment	Specific Dielectric Constant, ε	Specific Conductivity, σ [mS/m]	Radio Propagation Velocity, [m/ns]	Attenuation, [dB/m]
Air	1	0	0.3	0
Distilled Water	80	0,01	0.033	0.002
Ordinary Water	80	0.5 to	0.033	0.1
Sea water	80	3000	0.01	1000
Dry sand	3-5	0,01	0.15	0.01
Greensand	20-30	0,1-1	0.06	0.03-0.3
Lime Stone	4-8	0,5-2	0.12	0.4-1
Shale Clay	5-15	1-50	0.09	1-50
Silt	5-30	1-100	0.07	1-100
Clay	5-40	2-200	0.06	1-80
Granitic Rock	4-6	0,01-1	0.13	0.01-1
Ice	3-4	0,01	0.16	0.01

GPR can be packaged with different types of antennas to solve different tasks. The most simple in the low budget version are the dipole antennas.
As a radiating system for experts a specialized antenna is engineered (option, Pro version), which has a lower radiating level to the upper half-space and lowered lobed patterns along the ground surface.
The antenna is based on a magnetic slot antenna on the basis of open resonator system. Antenna directivity diagram of the GPR has a width not exceeding 25 degrees.
Use of such type of probing signal gave the opportunity with a relative ease to apply the methods which lead to a gain in the ration signal/ contaminating signal and in the long run to get considerably bigger depth of probing.
Basic technical specifications of the GPR are given in table 1.2

Table 1.2. Basic Parameters of GPR

Name of parameter (standard set)
Power input, W	4,8
Impulse Peak Voltage, V	1000
Average power of electromagnetic radiation, mW, not more than	10
Monitoring pulse repetition Frequency, kHz	70...100
Monitoring pulse duration, NS	2-8
the Maximum depth sensing (norms. 100 MHz), m	24
Resolution in the vertical direction, cm	<10
Resolution in the horizontal direction, see	<15
Analytical Error of Electric Constants and Radio Propagation Velocity in Subsoil, %>1	15-20
Analytical Error of Moisture of Subsoil Layers, %	20-30
PC Interface	USB, Wireless
Data-transfer rate, bps	115200
Continuous Battery Life not less than, hour	8
Operating Temperature Range, deg.C	-10...+50
Overall Dimensions of the Device in Operational Condition (max.): length, mm width, mm height, mm	1050±5 520±5 750±10
Device Mass Without Battery Power, not more than, kg	1.5

Method of the ground penetrating radar probing gives the possibility to:

analyze electric constants, moisture and radio propagation velocity in the subsoil layers;

adapt parameters of a probing (spectral width and location on the axis of frequency) signal to the type of subsoil and the depth of monitoring;

use complex radio physical and hydro geologic information while interpreting the monitoring results.
The advantages of the ground penetrating radar probing in comparison with the standard methods of geoelectric survey (specific and spatial profiling, etc.) are:

higher resolution on all three positions at depth and in a horizontal plane;

considerable loss of disturbing signals, arising out of reflection actions from various objects, located on the ground surface as well as under its surface (engineering services installations, buildings, electric wires, etc.).

The exterior of the GPR is given in figure 1.2.

GPR Probing Technique

Profiling or probing technique is as follows.
Operator switches around the device along the surface of an explored object (ground, water, walls, columns, etc.) upon a chosen profile, in the basis of necessary resolution capability.
The radar transmitter induces the probing signals with high frequency. The receiver receives the signals, reflected from non-homogeneities of a subsurface structure, which are processed and kept in computer memory.
Main form of the results report is the radio-location imaging of subsoil cross sections upon the profiles of the device switching around, in which on the Y-axis is indicated a depth, and on the X-axis the distance in meters along the chosen profile is indicated.
When building the radio-location images special signal processing algorithms are used to output the result on the screen.
When outputting the image on the display screen the level of fading and colour range of the parts of image of corresponding non-homogeneities of a subsurface structure is directly-proportional to the radio-location signal amplitude, reflected from these objects. As the amplitude of radio-location signals, reflected from the subsurface objects is proportional to the reflection index from the boundaries of these objects, and the reflection indices themselves are defined by the extent of difference of observed objects from the environment. The more the mentioned difference is (the more the radio-location signals are), the more the extent of difference of the image pieces, corresponding the mentioned objects will be. Thus, the extent of the reflection capability of the subsurface objects boundaries (for example, subsoil layers boundaries) is displayed by the colour range and shadowing (blacking) or the saturation of the draw areas corresponding the non-homogeneities.
Low-contrast boundaries of some objects or layers in this case are suppressed by reflections from the objects with extremely intense differences of their physical properties from the environment.

Advantages compared with the similar ground penetrating radars, operating on the basis of the pulse probing signal:

unique low price + flexible options arrangements: from low budget device for wide range of customers to professional set for high-profile professionals;

minimal weight and dimensions, allowing the maximal portability and cross-country ability;

unique minimal energy consumption, making the set carried by an operator less heavy and extending the operation time without battery charging/ battery changing;

easy handling when probing objects;

information display, comprehensible for an user, undergone basic self theoretical instruction;

possibility of quick spreading of antennamitter and receiving box at considerable distance for a detailed exploration of deep seated features;

live video - indication of results of probing and profiling operations in real time on the screen; (the set comes with a software system EasyRad v.XX for visualization and processing of radar data);

capability for further processing of the saved results of probing and profiling operations in a variety of graphic packages as well as in 2D, 3D and video formats;

possibility of the sub-surface profiling of objects from the board of vehicles, air vehicles (Pro version), on ice and water;

possibility to analyze electrical characteristics, humidity and velocity of radio-wave propagation in the soil (Pro version);

possibility of adjusting the parameters of the probing signal (spectral width and location on the frequency axis) to the type of subsoil and the monitoring depth;

increased accuracy of analysis of the subsoil layers boundaries and objects compared with the classical (pulse) ground penetrating radars through the compensation of signal distortions, exerted by dispersive medium properties (Pro version);

possibility of signals separation, reflected from the low-contrast layers (level of subsoil water, layer of liquid petroleum products, etc.) at depths up to 15 (30-50 Pro version) meters;

Basic set of ground penetrating radar EASYRAD GPR is a minimal set of equipment, component parts and software for probing and the results processing.
The basic contents of delivery includes:
- ground penetrating radar EASYRAD GPR (module Tx, modele Rx, antenna Tx, antenna Rx, shaft handle);
- ground penetrating radar and PC connection cable;
- a collection of documents;
- basic set of software (EasyRad x.xx, interface drivers RS232/USB, learning program Demo_rus, other).

Since June 2012 a brand-new version of program for working with the ground penetrating radar EasyRad GPR (in all its modifications) is available. For the first time ever in the ground penetrating radar practice a series of functions were realized, that significantly improve the visualization and interpretation of the ground penetrating radar profile. Read more...

Photo of the object after the archaeological excavations.

With January 2014 available unique software package RadMax to work with ground penetrating radar EasyRad GPR (in all its guises), integrated analysis of GPR data, 2D, 3D modeling and design. Read more...

In addition to the basic set it is possible to supply:
- battery power pack for ground penetrating radar;
- battery charger for ground penetrating radar;
- different kinds of software for further processing of radargrams, building the multi-dimensional models and animations;
- PC with a case for carrying during probing with bundled software.

Requirements for PC
To use ground penetrating radar EASYRAD GPR you need a PC or a laptop running Windows 98 or higher, RAM not less than 64 MB, not less than 100 MB of hard disc free space to keep the collected data and a computer serial port USB.
For normal running in abnormal operating conditions out-doors it is recommended to use so called rugged laptops. The key feature of rugged laptops is a capability to percolate as well as to keep the data when in operation in the field or under extreme conditions. In hot or cold weather, in rain or snow this kind of PC will fix up the environmental durability and real mobility, which is important indeed for getting a qualitative result.

Appended goods may be provided optionally. That allows to extend the capabilities of the ground penetrating radar EASYRAD GPR. For example, different kinds of antennas for solving specialized tasks.

Price for the basic set EASYRAD GPR (single-range model) - 3,600 USD.
Price for the basic set EASYRAD GPR Pro (multi-operated professional model) - 5,100 USD.
Price for the extended basic set EASYRAD GPR Pro Plus - 6,200 USD.
Price depends on the configuration. Please, check when ordering.

Certified in Ukraine.

Additional information pack on ground penetrating radar can be ordered by e-mail. Click here for ordering

What Should Be Remembered When Using Ground Penetrating Radar or Any Other Equipment for Subsurface Probing.

Real working conditions may be very different from the ideal ones (model at landfills), at which the work of device is tested, checked and demonstrated.

Analysis results may change depending on various factors such as subsoil at different depths, contaminated lands, weather conditions and electromagnetic environment.

The signal recording contains a large amount of information.

The correct interpretation of the collected data is a result of experience in many cases. But event the experts in the field of Geographic Information System and Technologies may be mistaken in the final interpretation.

Interpretation of the results of research depends on the context (the same image can be interpreted in different ways, depending on place, studied environment, geometry of objectives...).

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EasyRad GPR 20-400 MHz