Long-Term Application of GPR Technique for Estimation of Ground Contamination Degree

In this paper practical results of the long-term (1999-2005) application of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technique for estimation of electrical parameters of contaminated ground are presented. Contamination was caused by oil product leakage from pipeline. GPR technique includes a procedure of GPR profiling and application of Common-Midpoint (CMP) method. The GPR data allowed to acquire values of thickness of ground layers and their relative dielectric permittivity. These values were connected with the degree of ground contamination which was attested by measurements of a floating layer thickness of oil products in observation wells. These procedures were repeated during 6 years with the objectives to find steady time correlation of GPR data with ones acquired by attesting method. The GPR data allowed to monitor changes of oil contaminant concentration in the ground for optimal execution of environmental remediation actions and to detect in May 2005 the place of oil leakage from buried pipeline. After pipeline repairing the degree of ground contamination was decreased up to 10% in autumn 2005 comparing with 2004.