Research on reinforcement corrosion detection method based on the numerical simulation of ground-penetrating radar

Both the reinforcement depth and the electromagnetic properties of the concrete cover dramatically affect the steel reinforcement reflection wave amplitude in ground-penetrating radar (GPR), resulting in significant errors when evaluating the corrosion status of the reinforcement using the reflection wave amplitude. In response to this issue, this paper proposes a normalized amplitude–two-way travel time–relative permittivity (A-TWTT-εr) method, which, compared to traditional single-shot detection methods, enhances the effectiveness of steel reinforcement corrosion detection through 3D space. The amplitude and TWTT parameters are extracted using the A-scan waveform at the vertex of the steel reinforcement, while εr is determined through hyperbolic feature scatter fitting. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method was verified using COMSOL numerical simulation data. The results showed that the proposed A-TWTT-εr amplitude-correction method could simultaneously correct for the attenuation effect of differences in the reinforcement depth and concrete electromagnetic properties on the amplitude. The proposed method could enable single-shot corrosion detection by GPR, yet further validation is needed in complex experimental and on-site environments. •Proposed a GPR signal processing method to identify reinforcement corrosion.•Corrected the influences of cover depth and permittivity on the reflected wave amplitude.•Demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method from a theoretical perspective.