Masters Theses

Abstract

“Between the summer of 1998 and the spring of 2000, a large amount of ground penetrating radar data was collected in order to test the usefulness of radar in assisting with roadway maintenance. The Missouri Department of Transportation was interested in using GPR as an alternative to other unreliable and/or invasive techniques. Data were collected on Interstate 70, and on state Routes T and M in order to test the method in two different environments.

The study was conducted in two phases. Phase I involved collecting ground penetrating radar data across the entire site, calculating pavement thickness, and identifying common types of radar anomalies. Phase II involved collecting ground penetrating radar data in areas where radar anomalies were present in the phase I data and using core control in order to determine the causes of the anomalies.

The ground penetrating radar set data was able to provide satisfactory pavement thickness estimates in most areas at both sites. Where thickness estimates are inaccurate, due to incorrect estimates of material properties, select core control can allow the thickness to be corrected at any time. Where thickness estimates are incorrect due to radar data quality, re-surveying may allow estimates to be improved.

Several different types of radar anomalies were identified and classified in the phase I data, and several of these were inspected in phase II. At the Routes T and M site, certain anomalies in the radar data were found to be related to adverse conditions in the asphalt that were not evident in the surface of the road and are important for the Missouri Department of Transportation to identify for long-term maintenance. Anomalies in the radar data inspected on 1-70 clearly showed that the GPR tool is effective in imaging common variations in asphalt-overlain-concrete roadways. Although suggestions are made for more detailed studies addressing important unresolved issues, this study clearly presents the ground penetrating radar technique as an effective tool to assist in roadway maintenance”--Abstract, pages iii-iv.

Advisor(s)

Cardimona, Steven James, 1963-

Committee Member(s)

Anderson, Neil L. (Neil Lennart), 1954-
Hatheway, Allen W.

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Geology and Geophysics

Comments

The author would like to thank the Missouri Department of Transportation for supporting this project and the geophysics program in general.

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

Fall 2000

Pagination

xi, 73 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (page 72).

Rights

© 2000 Shane Michael Hickman, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 7829

Print OCLC #

45892417

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