Wavelet analysis with different frequency GPR antennas for bridge health assessment

Abstract

This study presents an examination and a presentation of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) on a heavily used high-speed railway bridge in Turkey. This study also considers GPR mapping using two different antennas (2 GHz and 500 MHz) and their reliability in terms of locating subsurface features such as rebar (lower and upper reinforcement) and the presence of moisture. Moreover GPR interesting results in terms of the structural crack locations by detecting discontinuities and breakdowns in the wavelets' travel with the incorporation of wavelet analysis into the process of the collected raw data of the highspeed railway bridge under survey. This study promotes the GPR and the wavelet analyses in the health monitoring and assessment of bridge structures. By increasing insight into the kinds of structural deterioration that can occur in structures such as high-speed railway bridges this study also has implications for the process of tool selection in structural inspection. The wavelet analysis can be used as an effective tool in analyzing and presenting the results of the GPR survey. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.