Ghost rebar in ground penetrating radar concrete scanning
Whether for embedded utility detecting or non-destructive testing (NDT) of concrete slabs, ground penetrating radar (GPR) interpretation involving rebar is often unavoidable. Understanding how GPR waves travel in reinforced concrete, and consequently what corresponding GPR profiles look like, are very important for appropriate GPR data interpretation. This article is about a "ghost rebar" phenomenon often encountered during GPR scanning of concrete slabs. These ghost rebar are not real but can show up and look real in GPR profiles. Even in theory this phenomenon can be easily understood, ghost rebar can cause confusion for data interpretation in real situations, especially when the concrete is not homogeneous or there are complex rebar patterns. Let's take a look at a GPR profile as…