PMSS Project Details

Project ID:	FHWA-PROJ-08-0014
Project Name:	Step Frequency Ground Penetrating Radar for Location and Evaluation of In-Roadway Sensors (06-FH2_SBIR) Phase IIb
Status:	Completed
Contact:	Last Name: Gibson First Name: David P Telephone: 202-493-3271 E-mail: david.gibson@dot.gov
Organization:	Federal Highway Administration - Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC)
Office:	Office of Operations Research and Development
Team:	Trans Enabling Technologies Team
Roadmap/Focus area(s):	Not Applicable
Project Description:	Traffic sensors embedded as in-roadway sensors frequently malfunction due to failure to observe proper installation techniques. Nondestructive evaluation of the installation or maintenance work has the potential to verify correct or incorrect installation procedures. Ground penetrating radar is the technique being investigated for this. The objectives of this research study are to: (1) Verify whether ground penetrating radar has the potential to identify defects in installation and/or maintenance.(2) Establish contacts with organizations that have problems with installations and dialog with them.(3) Identify critical gaps regarding the collection and processing of ground penetrating radar data, and what hardware changes or algorithms might be used to enhance the nondestructive evaluation of ground penetrating radar techniques.(4) Conduct laboratory and field tests of improved hardware and algorithms and conduct field demonstrations.
Laboratories:	Digital Highway Measurement Laboratory
Start Date:	September 14, 2011
End Date:	September 13, 2013
Funding Amount:	$966,452.00
FHWA Program Name:	Small Business Innovation Program (SBIR) (2% of Adjusted CA)
Goals:	The key project objective is the detection of wires and cracks in wires and pavement.
Project Type:	Onsite and Offsite
Background Information:	Data not yet available
Test Methodology:	See project description.
Other Information:	Data not yet available
Partners:	U.S. Department of Transportation: Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA); Role(s): Other stakeholder
More Information URL(s):
Fieldtest:	Data not yet available
Expected Benefits:	Data not yet available
Deliverables:	Name: Commercial Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) System Product Type(s): Research report, Other Description: The deliverable is enhanced signal analysis software and hardware that enables solving particular real-world problems of State departments of transportation (DOTs). Audiences: Federal Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center staff, Pavement designers, Pavement engineers, Researchers, State departments of transportation, State highway agencies Secondary Audiences:
Related URL(s):
Project Findings:	By using advanced signal processing techniques and custom radar wavelength handling, it is possible to detect much smaller cracks than is possible with conventional impulse radar.
FHWA Topics:	Research/Technologies--FHWA Research and Technology
TRT Terms:	Ground Penetrating Radar Operations Research Pavements Pavement Cracking Signal Processing
FHWA Disciplines:	Geotechnical Pavement and Materials Safety
Subject Areas:	Construction Geotechnology Highways Maintenance and Preservation Operations and Traffic Management Pavements Research Pipelines Safety and Human Factors