When it comes to technologies regarding underground services in Melbourne and Geelong areas, confusion between GPR — ground penetrating radar and X-Ray is bound to happen.
Let us have a look at some of the basics of both of them.
GPR — Ground Penetrating Radar
GPR technology exploits safer radio waves as opposed to gamma rays used in concrete x-ray technology. One of the greatest things that differentiate GPR from x-ray technology is its capacity to give real time results. Underground services providers use ground penetrating radar precisely for this reason.
X-Ray
The term is very often misleading as many builders when they approach underground services provider use this to mean GPR. One of the reasons for the confusion is that this is an old technology which is accurately called cement or concrete radiography. Its main purpose is to identify any object underground by taking x-ray images of the layers. While x-ray images are quite clear compared to GPR facts, it often consumes more time. Also, since it uses gamma rays, nearby places need to be evacuated before carrying out x-ray imaging.
Points of Comparison
Accessibility: Ground penetrating radar allows to access only one side of the slab for scanning whereas concrete radiography allows access to both the sides of slabs. In that sense, GPR has limitations as far as thickness of the slabs are concerned. While using x-ray, one side takes the film while the other a reflector plate. Devices based on iridium radiography, can penetrate up to twelve inches whereas devices that use cobalt radiography can go down up to maximum thirty-six inches.
Resolution: Since, ground penetrating radar uses only one side of the slab, the resolution often gets blurry whereas x-ray technique yields better resolution of the slabs.
Cost: As the ground penetrating radar technology is getting evolved, the cost associated with it is getting lower in comparison to concrete radiography. Following are reasons why concrete radiography is expensive:
- Concrete x-ray is confined to one section at a time
- Also, during x-ray scanning, nearby places need to be evacuated which causes loss of time
- Technologically, GPR allows the use of digital image even after the test. This makes processing and manipulation lot easier and less expensive
- Compared to GPR, concrete radiography requires more expensive training as well as equipments
What to use when
Though it is true that GPR is replacing concrete radiography quite faster, it depends on your requirement which technology is best suited to your projects. Professional and experienced underground services providers in Melbourne and Geelong areas listen to your requirements carefully and then decide the best suitable technique.
These are some of the factors that play a major role in deciding which technique is best suited to your project. Ponder over these factors, check with professionals if you are still not sure which of these should best suit you, and make an informed choice before you actually start your ambitious project.
