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Many projects involve excavation adjacent to trees. The digging of trenches near trees has the potential to inflict fatal damage to the tree by interfering with the root system.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) can be used to map the extent, and depth of the root mass with no disturbance to the tree.

GPR data collection is achieved by using a GPR system either mounted in a cart or with the system being person carried with the antenna drawn behind the operator.

The mapping of the root mass extent from the tree in the south west corner of the site was achieved by collecting closely spaced data profiles (0.3m separation) using a 500MHz antenna.

Individual data profiles were inspected for responses from the roots, an example of a data profile is displayed below in Figure 2.

GPR data profiles were processed and a 3D data block was generated. Timeslices were produced to enable visualization of the extent of the tree roots. The extent of the tree root mass is displayed in the timeslice taken from the 3D data block, see Figure 3, below. A timeslice provides a plan view of the investigation results. Interpretations and detail positioning information can be overlaid onto the image.

The use of GPR as an investigative tool can enable excavations to be carried out without the fear of damaging the tree root mass.

Read more about GPR