Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

Ballast plays a key role in the track structure by transmitting train loads to the formation layer, helping to maintain track geometry under train loads, providing lateral track strength to resist buckles and sun kinks and facilitating efficient water drainage.

While technologies such as lidar and digital imaging can be used to detect mud spots and measure ballast shoulders, such technologies are unable to assess sub-surface parameters such as layer thicknesses, moisture level or the level of fouling.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) provides an accurate and efficient approach to make these measurements and can be combined with surface-scanning techniques to provide a comprehensive ballast condition assessment.