The detector is a compact and user friendly locator for metallic and non-metallic pipes and cable. There are seven systems in service in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland. Not every soil type is right for radar systems, but when conditions are suitable, radar systems are a very accurate piece of equipment.
The detector has two different frequency antennas and is linked back to a Panasonic Tough Book Laptop. The software supplied allows the operator to record location and information as seen on the screen in real time to CD.
Location and depth are shown on screen and an experienced operator can determine pipe diameters and often what type of service – pipe or cable – is shown on screen.
JB has recently added the RISK system, the next step up from the detector, to its range. The RISK system can simultaneously run from 5 – 8 antennas.
Ground Penetrating Radar – How it works
Ground Penetrating Radar uses electromagnetic waves to detect, locate and image changes in electrical/magnetic properties in subsoil and materials such as buildings and other structures.
High resolution images are obtained thanks to the ultra wide band radar pulse with a relative band width in the order of 100 per cent.
Penetration depth may vary, depending on the properties of the material being investigated, from less than a metre up to several tonnes of metres.
Hidden and buried targets of any type of material (metallic or non-metallic) can be detected thanks to their dielectric contrast with the surrounding material.
Images of the targets buried in the soil or hidden inside materials are typically obtained by moving the antenna over the surface of the soil/material and processing the data in the same way as for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems.
The resulting maps show targets as hyperbola-like shapes. Tomographic 2D or 3D images of the investigated area can be obtained by processing this data.