GPR ON EVERY PROJECT
Every project deserves a quality locate
Confirm the Knowns & Find the Unknowns 
- Confirm the knowns. Every MPL technician uses Electromagnetic (EM) technology on every job site. It all starts here. EM is perfect for confirming where the known utilities are and precisely locating them.
- Find the Unknowns. On most private locate job sites, there are some unknown utilities that would never have been found with the use of EM. That’s where GPR is used, and why MPL uses it on every job site. When you combine EM & GPR, you are increasing your chances that everything under the surface will get found, and located.
- Accuracy Counts. GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) is a detection method used to identify the location of subsurface materials using radio waves to identify buried or hidden objects within a structure or beneath a surface.
The Benefits of Using GPR
Advantages to having GPR used on your job site
Common Finds from using GPR
GPR services are often used by airports, the automotive industry, factories, commercial construction, government, manufacturing industries, military, municipal infrastructure, ports, power plants, refineries, and water treatment plants.
Plastic Lines & Pipes
Propane Lines & Tanks
Oxygen Lines
Low Voltage Wires
Irrigation Lines
Private Alarm Wires
Chilled Water Lines
Septic Tanks
GPR FAQs
What is Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)?
A GPR system works by sending a tiny pulse of energy into a surface via an antenna. The GPR's computer records the strength and time required for the return of any reflected signals. Subsurface variations will create reflections that are picked up by the system and stored on digital media. These reflections are produced by a variety of material such as geological structure differences and man-made objects like pipes and wire.
What does GPR find?
Underground utility lines & pipes, septic tanks, chilled water lines, private alarm wires, irrigation lines, low voltage wires, fire lines, oxygen lines, propane lines & tanks.
Is it safe to use GPR?
Many people question whether there is any danger for the person using GPR equipment, and the answer is no. Although "ground penetrating radar" may sound like a hazardous technique, it is extremely safe and emits roughly 1% of the power of a cellular phone signal.
How far down does GPR scan?
The depth range of GPR surveys is limited by the electrical conductivity of the ground, and the transmitting frequency. Optimal depth penetration is achieved in dry sandy soils or massive dry materials such as granite, where the depth of penetration is up to 50 feet. Often, direct measurements to buried objects are used to calibrate the depth estimates.
What is the difference between GPR and EM Locating?
GPR detects ground disturbances rather than the lines themselves, so it doesn't matter if the lines are metallic or nonmetallic. EM location, on the other hand, detects the EM signals produced by a flow of electrical current.
Can I see non-metallic subsurfacefeatures with GPR?
GPR is extremely accurate when it comes to locating metallic and non-metallic objects.
What are the limitations of using GPR?
There are limitations involved with any technology. During ground surveys, radar waves cannot penetrate through metal. Thus, if steel storage tanks are present on the site, GPR will not be able to see inside them, nor assess their condition. Further, objects behind steel may be obscured and thus not observable. A radar surveys performance is driven by the characteristics of the sensor, the targets, and the competing background clutter. An object may be observable at a shallow depth, but the same object may be invisible at a greater depth.
Can GPR be used to map cemeteries?
Yes. GPR is the best geophysical technique for forensic victim location and for the mapping of graves in cemeteries. While we can sometimes image the body directly, GPR responds well to the disturbances in the soil which are created when a pit is dug and refilled.
