multiVIEW to Showcase RoadMap Technology at 2014 APWA International Congress

multiVIEW, a professional services firm that specializes in near-surface geophysics has announced that it will be showcasing its patented RoadMap Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology at the upcoming APWA International Congress & Expo, Booth #1643, August 17th-20th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

GPR is increasingly being adopted across the nation and around the globe as a rapid, cost-effective method to examine the subsurface conditions of roads and bridges, providing important insights into deterioration, cracking, delamination, corrosion and other factors that affect structural integrity. It is especially effective in northern communities where cold climates and frequent salting pose a threat to infrastructure reliability. And with much of Canada’s transportation infrastructure in need of rehabilitation and repair, GPR is providing a non-invasive technique to pick up on subsurface anomalies before they become an issue.

The technology transmits high frequency radio waves into the ground or structure and analyzes the reflected wave data to create a profile of the subsurface features. The reflections are caused by a contrast in the electrical properties of subsurface materials which can be indicative of changes in water content, void spaces in the ground or structure, rebar or post tension cable corrosion, asphalt deterioration and other factors. What makes RoadMap unique is that it provides ground-coupled GPR surveying at highway speeds which yields higher resolution data while reducing the need for traffic control.

After data is captured, it is incorporated into geo-referenced maps combined with a deterioration index that determines good versus deteriorated condition. This can then be transformed into a valuable layer for a CAD or GIS system.

“RoadMap GPR makes it possible to capture subsurface data across vast areas on roads and bridges, often without the need for traffic control which provides a huge advantage in terms of productivity,” said Kevin Vine, President, multiVIEW. “It is a rapid and non-intrusive method for obtaining data which supports a better understanding of lifecycle costs, causes of deterioration, and the effectiveness of maintenance efforts throughout the aging process.”

The technology has been widely adopted in the U.S. and is steadily gaining traction in Canada. As municipalities increasingly outsource highway maintenance and bridge inspections, engineering firms are finding new ways to innovate and differentiate themselves in the bidding process. Harnessing advanced tools such as GPR is an effective way to do this, and as such, the technology is beginning to surface in large projects across the country.

In fact, GPR was recently leveraged to map deterioration along Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway. All continuous east and west bound lanes of a 6.1km raised section were surveyed along with corresponding access ramps. High-resolution GPR observations were collected from curb to curb, less than a metre apart. Six lines of data were captured for each vehicle lane and over 1.3 million targets within the project area were processed and georeferenced to assess deterioration. Data was then digitally recorded to produce colour-coded contour maps along with a bridge deck deterioration index that indicated the percentages of each section appearing to be above the deterioration threshold.

Over the next several decades, much of our municipal transportation infrastructure will require costly repair and rehabilitation. RoadMap GPR provides a non-intrusive method to detect threats to structural capacity at its earliest stages while reducing the need for destructive testing and minimizing service disruptions. This method of condition assessment also allows subsurface data to be digitized for future use, making it possible to examine patterns of deterioration overtime.

multiVIEW, a professional services firm that specializes in near-surface geophysics has announced that it will be showcasing its patented RoadMap Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology at the upcoming APWA International Congress & Expo, Booth #1643, August 17th-20th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

GPR is increasingly being adopted across the nation and around the globe as a rapid, cost-effective method to examine the subsurface conditions of roads and bridges, providing important insights into deterioration, cracking, delamination, corrosion and other factors that affect structural integrity. It is especially effective in northern communities where cold climates and frequent salting pose a threat to infrastructure reliability. And with much of Canada’s transportation infrastructure in need of rehabilitation and repair, GPR is providing a non-invasive technique to pick up on subsurface anomalies before they become an issue.

The technology transmits high frequency radio waves into the ground or structure and analyzes the reflected wave data to create a profile of the subsurface features. The reflections are caused by a contrast in the electrical properties of subsurface materials which can be indicative of changes in water content, void spaces in the ground or structure, rebar or post tension cable corrosion, asphalt deterioration and other factors. What makes RoadMap unique is that it provides ground-coupled GPR surveying at highway speeds which yields higher resolution data while reducing the need for traffic control.

After data is captured, it is incorporated into geo-referenced maps combined with a deterioration index that determines good versus deteriorated condition. This can then be transformed into a valuable layer for a CAD or GIS system.

“RoadMap GPR makes it possible to capture subsurface data across vast areas on roads and bridges, often without the need for traffic control which provides a huge advantage in terms of productivity,” said Kevin Vine, President, multiVIEW. “It is a rapid and non-intrusive method for obtaining data which supports a better understanding of lifecycle costs, causes of deterioration, and the effectiveness of maintenance efforts throughout the aging process.”

The technology has been widely adopted in the U.S. and is steadily gaining traction in Canada. As municipalities increasingly outsource highway maintenance and bridge inspections, engineering firms are finding new ways to innovate and differentiate themselves in the bidding process. Harnessing advanced tools such as GPR is an effective way to do this, and as such, the technology is beginning to surface in large projects across the country.

In fact, GPR was recently leveraged to map deterioration along Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway. All continuous east and west bound lanes of a 6.1km raised section were surveyed along with corresponding access ramps. High-resolution GPR observations were collected from curb to curb, less than a metre apart. Six lines of data were captured for each vehicle lane and over 1.3 million targets within the project area were processed and georeferenced to assess deterioration. Data was then digitally recorded to produce colour-coded contour maps along with a bridge deck deterioration index that indicated the percentages of each section appearing to be above the deterioration threshold.

Over the next several decades, much of our municipal transportation infrastructure will require costly repair and rehabilitation. RoadMap GPR provides a non-intrusive method to detect threats to structural capacity at its earliest stages while reducing the need for destructive testing and minimizing service disruptions. This method of condition assessment also allows subsurface data to be digitized for future use, making it possible to examine patterns of deterioration overtime.