Using GPR to Assist in Quarry Expansion

Customer’s task

A company producing ballast material from quarry operations wants to expand the size of their hard rock quarry by approx. 6-hectares to meet increasing demand. To receive approval from the administrative board of the local county, they are required to produce an environmental impact statement, which includes an assessment of moraine cover.

The client sought help from GPR to determine the depth of cover of moraine within the expansion area, which they estimate at approx. one to five metres. The terrain in question is very rugged, consisting of uneven rock-strewn surfaces amongst the dense newly planted forest, so challenging survey conditions.


ImpulseRadar’s solution

ImpulseRadar’s application specialist chose CrossOver CO1760 in pulling configuration as the system of choice.

Crossover GPR for geophysical investigations
Rock surface investigations with GPR

Despite the challenging terrain, the size, weight, and ergonomics of the CO1760, combined with practical pulling accessories meant that the operator collected measurements with relative ease, with an even distribution of radar profiles over the survey area to a length of approx.—3,700 m. The 170 MHz channel performed well by providing an excellent compromise to depth penetration and resolution requirements while minimizing the backscatter effect to be able to map the shallower rock levels. The moving map function in the ViewPoint App was also very useful in navigating the areas where the forest was denser.

The interpretations were made in CrossPoint using the in-built cursor function, and interpretation exports made in DXF and KMZ formats.

Rock surface with GPR technology

Results

Using GPR was a great help in verifying the depth of cover of the moraine to determine the volume, which assisted in the successful completion of the environmental impact statement. The CO1760’s compact, lightweight, and ergonomic design were of significance to survey efficiency, as well as the comfort of the operator in the challenging working environment.

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Not sure whether GPR is the right tool for you? Contact us and we’d be happy to discuss your problem and recommend a suitable ImpulseRadar GPR solution.