Dielectric Characteristics of Unsaturated Loess and the Safety Detection of the Road Subgrade Based on GPR

Abstract

We present a moisture content and permittivity model to simultaneously detect and estimate defects in loess subgrade. Based on the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) method, the dielectric properties of loess in the northwest of China and the imaging feature of the moisture content of different strata were studied. The relative permittivity of loess with different moisture contents was experimented in the laboratory. It was found that the relative permittivity of unsaturated loess was positively related to moisture content. The relationship between relative permittivity and moisture content in different antenna frequencies of GPR was analyzed. Electromagnetic wave reflection rules in the loess interface were studied using the numerical method with different moisture contents. With the increase in moisture content, the amplitude of GPR was increased. When the above conclusions were applied in the engineering practices, there are good effects to detect the defects of the road subgrade. It is a significant guidance for determining the qualitative research of defects in the roadbed.