Ground Penetrating Radar 2018, Volume 1, Issue 1, GPR-1-1-1, https://doi.org/10.26376/GPR2018001

Use of Ground Penetrating Radar and standard geophysical methods to explore the subsurface

Raffaele Persico and Sebastiano D'Amico

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Abstract:   This paper presents the results of a series of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and passive seismic measurements performed in Malta in 2015, during a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) funded by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action TU1208 “Civil engineering applications of Ground Penetrating Radar.” The main purposes of the measurements were: to test the performance of an innovative reconfigurable stepped-frequency GPR prototype, recently upgraded thanks to the results of the research activities carried out in Norway during a previous TU1208 STSM; to investigate the geological conditions of some sites of historical and environmental interest; and to assess the internal status of two monuments. To the best of our knowledge, the GPR measurements carried out during this STSM constitute the first GPR investigations ever performed in Malta.

Keywords:  Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR); instrumentation development; stepped frequency; cultural heritage; geology; passive seismic.

Introduction

A Short-Term Scientific-Mission (STMS) entitled “Use of Ground Penetrating Radar and standard geophysical methods to explore the subsurface” was recently funded by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), in the framework of the COST Action TU1208 “Civil engineering applications of Ground Penetrating Radar” activities. Raffaele Persico visited Sebastiano D’Amico in Malta, from July 13th to July 24th, 2015, and they jointly performed a series of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and passive seismic measurements in sites of of historical and environmental interest.

The used radar system was an innovative reconfigurable stepped-frequency GPR prototype (Section 2). The original version of this prototype was implemented in Italy, by the Institute for Archaeological and Monumental Heritage of the National Research Council (IBAM-CNR), in cooperation with the University of Florence and the Italian company IDS Ingegneria dei Sistemi, within the research project AITECH funded by Regione Puglia (www.aitechnet.com/ibam.html) [1]. During a previous STSM funded by the COST Action TU1208, carried out in 2014, the prototype was brought to Norway and compared with commercial systems manufactured by 3d-radar [2]. Based on the results collected during that mission, the prototype was improved. The STSM in Malta represented an opportunity to test on real scenarios the improved version of the prototype.

For what concerns the passive seismic acquisitions, single station-location measurements were done.

The geology of Malta is shortly described in Section 3, whereas Section 4 is dedicated to the presentation and interpretation of the obtained results. The main objectives of our measurements were three: to test the performance of the GPR prototype, to study the geological conditions of a series of sites in Malta, and to assess the conditions of some monuments, still in Malta. In particular, we performed measurements in the Golden Bay area, in the vicinity of Għajn Tuffieħa Tower (subsection 4.1); we assessed an area close to La Ferla Cross church (subsection 4.2); we performed measurements inside Madliena tower, in Pembroke (subsection 4.3); and we surveyed the area outside the church of Santa Maria, in Birkikara (subsection 4.4). GPR and passive seismic analyses were performed also in the co-cathedral of St John patrimony of UNESCO, with the aim to test the displacement of some tombs under the floor and investigate the causes of a fracture, which is evident on one of the headstones (subsection 4.5). Measurements performed to test the performance of the improved GPR prototype are presented in subsection 4.6.

To the best of our knowledge, the GPR acquisitions carried out during this STSM constitute the first GPR investigation ever performed in Malta.

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Unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium of this article is permitted, provided the original article is properly cited.   Please cite this article as follows: R. Persico and S. D'Amico, Use of Ground Penetrating Radar and standard geophysical methods to explore the subsurface, Ground Penetrating Radar, Volume 1, No. 1, Article ID GPR-1-1-1, pp. 1-37, January 2018, doi: 10.26376/GPR2018001.

Read further articles published by the same Authors on Ground Penetrating Radar

Sebastiano D'Amico: 

- R. Persico, S. D’Amico, E. Rizzo, L. Capozzoli, and A. Micallef, “Ground Penetrating Radar investigations in sites of cultural interest in Malta,” Ground Penetrating Radar, Volume 1, No. 1, Article ID GPR-1-1-2, pp. 38–62, January 2018, doi.org/10.26376/GPR2018002.

- R. Persico, S. D’Amico, E. Rizzo, L. Capozzoli, and A. Micallef, “Electrical resistivity tomography investigations in Mgarr (Malta),” Ground Penetrating Radar, Volume 1, No. 1, Article ID GPR-1-1-3, pp. 63–74, January 2018, doi.org/10.26376/GPR2018003. [Retracted]

Raffaele Persico:

- R. Persico, S. D’Amico, E. Rizzo, L. Capozzoli, and A. Micallef, “Ground Penetrating Radar investigations in sites of cultural interest in Malta,” Ground Penetrating Radar, Volume 1, No. 1, Article ID GPR-1-1-2, pp. 38–62, January 2018, doi.org/10.26376/GPR2018002.

- R. Persico, S. D’Amico, E. Rizzo, L. Capozzoli, and A. Micallef, “Electrical resistivity tomography investigations in Mgarr (Malta),” Ground Penetrating Radar, Volume 1, No. 1, Article ID GPR-1-1-3, pp. 63–74, January 2018, doi.org/10.26376/GPR2018003. [Retracted]

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