The growing population and continuous urbanization of cities, agglomerated settlements, and popular regions pose new challenges for utility providers.
Various utility networks – such as electrical, gas, water, sewage, and communication systems – are essential in everyday life and fundamentally contribute to the economic development of a settlement or urban area. Under large cities, the developed utility network results in extremely complex underground structures. There is an increasing demand for recording the spatial location and technical data of utility networks in settlements into a coordinate-correct, updated database that reflects the current conditions, as the spatial location of many utilities is still unknown or not precisely known. Outdated records and unreliable data can lead to network damage and outages, which can paralyze the life of a settlement until the problem is resolved.
GPR ground radar technology offers an ideal solution for effectively mapping utility networks, as it allows for non-destructive inspection of lines and the precise determination of their positions. Advantages of using the method:
- Accurate localization of subsurface objects: Maps prepared based on measured data accurately show the position of utilities and their depth from the surface. This data provides essential information for efficient planning and execution of investments.
- Non-destructive: Utility mapping performed with the GPR ground radar research method is a non-destructive procedure. Its application avoids the need for unnecessary excavation or probing, reduces the risk of investment interruption, and minimizes the chance of utility damage.
- Reflection of real conditions: After performing geophysical measurements, the physical and geometric characteristics of various types of utilities can be identified. After field work and processing, we prepare documentation and maps showing the exact routes of the identified utility objects and their depth from the surface. In certain cases, it is also possible to determine the diameter of utility objects and estimate their material composition.
- Risk reduction and damage prevention: Accurate mapping of utilities is crucial during construction works involving excavation, or even archaeological works performed in built environments. Performing geophysical measurements significantly reduces the chance of accidental damage, including gas pipelines, water pipelines, electrical cables, and communication lines.