Bridge & Concrete Investigation
Investigate concrete construction before opening it up.
High-frequency ground penetrating radar supports non-destructive investigation of reinforcement, slab construction, interfaces and subsurface variation within bridge decks and concrete structures.
Locate discernible reinforcing elements.
Assess thickness and internal construction.
Support safer coring and opening-up.
Balance depth and resolution requirements.
Investigation Objectives
Understand the structure before intrusive work begins
Concrete GPR surveys can support planning, maintenance and further investigation by indicating the position of internal features and changes in construction.
Reinforcement position
Identify radar responses associated with reinforcing bars, meshes and other metallic elements before drilling, cutting or coring.
Slab thickness and interfaces
Investigate discernible boundaries between concrete, overlays, supporting layers and underlying construction.
Construction variation
Map changes in reflection character that may indicate differences in material, geometry or structural arrangement.
Targeted verification
Use survey information to support the selection of locations for coring, opening-up or further engineering assessment.
Survey Methods
Configure the radar around the required depth and resolution
Concrete and reinforcement mapping
High-frequency GV3 configurations can be used for detailed investigation of concrete slabs, bridge decks and structural elements where shallow resolution is the priority.
- Locate discernible reinforcement responses
- Investigate concrete thickness and internal interfaces
- Support drilling, coring and cutting plans
- Collect closely spaced parallel survey lines
- Configure antenna frequency around the structure
Deck and supporting construction profiles
Multi-frequency or modular configurations can support broader investigation of bridge decks, overlays, approach construction and associated pavement or structural layers.
- Continuous profile collection
- Multiple frequency options
- Investigation of interfaces and construction variation
- Configurable channel and deployment arrangements
- Suitable for specialist professional surveys
Investigation Workflow
Build the survey around the structural question
Reliable concrete investigation requires suitable antenna selection, systematic data collection and interpretation alongside available structural information.
Define the objective
Establish whether the requirement concerns reinforcement location, slab thickness, interfaces, construction variation or planning for intrusive work.
Configure and collect
Select the antenna frequency, survey spacing, orientation and positioning method required to provide suitable coverage and resolution.
Interpret and verify
Review radar responses alongside structural drawings, visual inspection, known construction details and targeted intrusive evidence where required.
Recommended Systems
GroundVue configurations for concrete and bridge investigation
The most appropriate system depends on the required depth, resolution, survey area, access conditions and whether the investigation is focused on concrete detail or broader structural profiling.
Modular high-frequency GPR
GroundVue GV3
A configurable controller and antenna platform for professional concrete investigation, reinforcement mapping and specialist structural surveys.
- One to eight-channel controller options
- Antenna choices extending into high-frequency configurations
- Combined or separate transmitter and receiver formats
- Suitable for custom survey frames and arrays
Multi-frequency bridge profiling
GroundVue TriVue
An integrated three-frequency system for broader bridge-deck, pavement and approach investigations requiring complementary radar information from a single survey pass.
- 250, 500 and 1000 MHz channels
- Three simultaneous independent datasets
- Suitable for route and deck-profile investigations
- Multiple trolley and deployment options
Interpretation & Validation
Radar responses must be interpreted in structural context
Concrete GPR performance is influenced by reinforcement density, moisture, material conductivity, surface condition, antenna frequency and access to the survey area.
Important survey considerations
- A radar reflection indicates an electromagnetic contrast and does not by itself identify a defect, material or structural condition.
- Closely spaced or multiple reinforcement layers can mask deeper features and reduce the clarity of underlying interfaces.
- Moisture and conductive materials can increase attenuation and reduce the achievable investigation depth.
- GPR may indicate anomalous areas but does not independently confirm corrosion, delamination, voiding or structural capacity.
- Results should be correlated with drawings, structural records, visual inspection and intrusive verification where required.
Discuss Your Investigation
Configure the concrete survey around the required structural information
Tell us about the structure, expected reinforcement, target depth, access conditions, survey area and the information needed before drilling, coring or further engineering assessment.