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Technical Manual: Conduits through Embankment Dams (FEMA 484)

Technical Manual: Conduits through Embankment Dams (FEMA 484)

Technical Manual: Conduits through Embankment Dams (FEMA 484)

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Chapter 10—Evaluation by Geophysical and Nondestructive TestingKnown void areas are extremely useful in “calibrating” a GPR survey at a particularsite. Lacking known void areas, core drilling or other direct inspection methods arehighly desirable to aid in the GPR data interpretation. GPR data profiles can bedifficult to interpret properly, if no site “ground truth” is available. Figure 143shows a core hole being drilled to reveal voids behind the concrete, and figure 144shows an example of GPR profiles along a conduit invert.Because the radar waves travel equally well in all directions, GPR may be used toimage from the inside of a (nonmetallic) conduit outwards, along crown, springlines,and invert. Modern GPR equipment is commonly mounted on a cart or pole toallow imaging in the required direction. Note that steel well casings, communicationcables, metal buildings, overhead wires, and other cultural features can causeanomalous-looking radar profiles. The GPR interpreter must be aware of thelocations of such features at the site.10.5 SonarFor inundated conduits with a heavy suspended sediment load and very poorvisibility, three-dimensional real-time imaging sonar is advantageous. A rotatingsonar transducer mounted on a sled, crawler vehicle, or ROV can be used to scanand record the condition of a conduit (Sonex Corporation, 2002). Since the timesFigure 143.—A core hole is being drilled to reveal voids behind theconcrete in this conduit.253

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