GPR in a Cloud-Connected Data Ecosystem for Easier Integration into BIM

Digitalization is changing how infrastructure projects are planned and executed. By now, every project is expected to start from a reliable and accurate digital twin of the built reality. This includes the subsurface, with a huge network of buried utilities built over the years and often poorly, if at all, recorded. Getting a digital twin of all buried utilities is not trivial. Besides the magnitude of the challenge, the degree of complexity is high due to the different technologies involved in the process. This includes, among others, non-destructive detection technologies such as GPR, as well as geo-positioning technologies, such as GNSS. Additionally, on top of being geolocated, found evidences need to be correctly categorized to fit into the data model, easily editable for future updates. Developing such a digital representation is slow and fragmented. Software can play a big role in boosting this process and making it scalable. Equipped with powerful field computers, the tasks of detection, mapping and categorizing can be executed in real time and results can be visualized on the same 3D geospatial view. We also describe how the use of Artificial Intelligence can assist in removing uncertainty and providing an intuitive visualization for all involved parties