3D ground penetrating radar cavity identification algorithm for urban roads using transfer learning

Abstract

3D ground penetrating radar (GPR) is the main method for the detection of underground cavities in urban roads. The number of road cavity samples detected by 3D radar is small, whereas the intelligent identification model require a large number of learning samples for model training, resulting in inadequate model training. This causes the model to be less accurate in identifying cavities, resulting in many misses and misjudgments. Given the above problems, combined with the detection characteristics of the vertical, the horizontal, and the crossed slices obtained in one detection process of 3D GPR, a 3D GPR cavity intelligent recognition model based on model-based transfer learning is proposed. Firstly, a large amount of 3D GPR data of urban road models with cavities are obtained through forwarding simulation. And the intelligent recognition model was pre-trained on the cavity detection data on three types of slices respectively. Then, through model-based transfer learning, a small amount of real underground cavity data is used to speed up the convergence speed of model training and optimize the structural parameters. It breaks through the limitation of the insufficient number of cavity samples for 3D radar detection on the intelligent learning model training, reduces algorithm training costs, and improves identification accuracy.

Underground utility inspection using ground penetrating radar

“…As a result, based on data processing, it can be concluded that GPR is a non-destructive, fast, and economical method for evaluating road structures [7]. Through various data acquisition and processing techniques, studies have shown significant success in using GPR to gather information for verifying the state and condition of materials [8,9]. This technology helps overcome the constraint of insufficient cavity samples for 3D radar detection on intelligent learning model training, reduces algorithm training costs, and improves identification accuracy [10,11].…”