Detection of Soil Pipes Using Ground Penetrating Radar

Anita Bernatek-Jakiel,Marta Kondracka

doi:10.3390/rs11161864

Abstract

Soil piping leads to land degradation in almost all morphoclimatic regions. However, the detection of soil pipes is still a methodological challenge. Therefore, this study aims at testing ground penetrating radar (GPR) to identify soil pipes and to present the complexity of soil pipe networks. The GPR surveys were conducted at three sites in the Bieszczady Mountains (SE Poland), where pipes develop in Cambisols. In total, 36 GPR profiles longitudinal and transverse to piping systems were made and used to provide spatial visualization of pipe networks. Soil pipes were identified as reflection hyperbolas on radargrams, which were verified with the surface indicators of piping, i.e., sagging of the ground and the occurrence of pipe roof collapses. Antennas of 500 MHz and 800 MHz were tested, which made possible the penetration of the subsurface up to 3.2 m and 2 m, respectively. Concerning ground properties, antenna frequencies and processing techniques, there was a potential possibility to detect pipes with a minimum diameter of 3.5 cm (using the antenna of lower frequency), and 2.2 cm (with the antenna of higher frequency). The results have proved that soil pipes meander horizontally and vertically and their networks become more complicated and extensive down the slope. GPR is a useful method to detect soil pipes, although it requires field verification and the proper selection of antenna frequency.

Highlights

Soil piping is a widespread land degradation process [1,2] that occurs in different soil types under various climatic and land use conditions [3]
Soil piping is a subsurface process, it is often investigated through surface indicators, mainly by mapping pipe roof collapses (PCs) [3,5,6] (Figure 1)
This study investigated four piping systems at three sites in the Bieszczady Mountains, SE Poland

Summary

Introduction

Soil piping is a widespread land degradation process [1,2] that occurs in different soil types under various climatic and land use conditions [3]. Soil piping is a subsurface process, it is often investigated through surface indicators, mainly by mapping pipe roof collapses (PCs) [3,5,6] (Figure 1). This method cannot provide complete information on the subsurface pipe network, its extension, lateral and vertical changes of a pipe size, length, and tortuosity. There have been limited detailed studies on soil pipe

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Results

Conclusion