US 12,241,885 B2
Systems and methods for asphalt density and soil moisture measurements using ground penetrating radar
Robert Ernest Troxler, Raleigh, NC (US)
Assigned to International Research Institute
Filed by Robert Ernest Troxler, Raleigh, NC (US)
Filed on Apr. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/730,671.
Application 17/730,671 is a continuation of application No. 16/206,188, filed on Nov. 30, 2018, granted, now 11,346,835.
Application 16/206,188 is a continuation of application No. 14/214,629, filed on Mar. 14, 2014, granted, now 10,145,837, issued on Dec. 4, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/786,060, filed on Mar. 14, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2022/0252571 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 33/42 (2006.01); E01C 19/23 (2006.01); G01N 9/24 (2006.01); G01N 22/04 (2006.01); G01N 33/24 (2006.01); G01S 13/02 (2006.01); G01S 13/32 (2006.01); G01S 13/88 (2006.01); G01V 3/12 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 33/42 (2013.01) [E01C 19/235 (2013.01); G01N 9/24 (2013.01); G01N 22/04 (2013.01); G01N 33/246 (2013.01); G01S 13/0209 (2013.01); G01S 13/32 (2013.01); G01S 13/885 (2013.01); G01V 3/12 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A ground penetrating radar system comprising:
a system controller configured to produce an electromagnetic signal for signal penetration of a pavement material;
a controller configured to produce a frequency modulated electromagnetic wave or a time domain modulated pulsed wave; and
an ultra wide band (UWB) antenna coupled to the system controller, wherein the UWB antenna is configured to transmit the produced electromagnetic signal to the pavement material and receive the electromagnetic signal as a reflection from the pavement material; and
wherein the system controller is further configured to:
receive the electromagnetic signal from the UWB antenna,
wherein the system controller is further configured for multi use,
wherein the system controller is capable of switching into a moisture mode or a material mode;
wherein the system controller is further configured to attain a measurement correlation of at least one of a relative, absolute, or complex permittivity of the pavement material depending on the measurement mode and based on one of a received first reflection signal and a second reflection signal;
wherein the system controller, when operated in the moisture mode, is further configured to select a moisture calibration curve for a selected pavement material;
wherein the system controller, when operated in the moisture mode, is further configured to determine the moisture content of the pavement material based on the correlation to dielectric constant or complex permittivity;
wherein the system controller, when operated in the material mode, is further configured to select a density or thickness calibration curve for a selected asphalt or concrete pavement material;
wherein the system controller, when operated in the material mode, is further configured to determine a bulk material property of at least one of a density or thickness of the pavement material based on the measurement correlation to the dielectric constant or the complex permittivity; and
wherein the system controller is configured to select, when in the material mode, one or more system measurement parameters for in situ measurements based on a selected mode corresponding to the pavement material, wherein the pavement material is one of soil, aggregate, sub base, asphalt, concrete, or roller compacted concrete.