Detection of fractures and caves using Ground Penetrating Radar in an active quarry

Quarries need a detailed knowledge of the geologic setting of the area in order to plan the activity of the extraction and to provide a safe working environment. The quarry activity modifies continuously the topography of the area, generating outcrops on the walls and faces of the quarry. These outcrops offer the possibility to observe in detail the geologic feature of the area. An high resolution geophysical imaging method as GPR can be used to extend into the ground the observations made on the surface. In this work we present a GPR survey done in an active limestone quarry. The field survey showed the presence of layering, fractures and karstic features. Radar data have been interpreted side by side with observation done in the surface survey, and this made possible to link surface geology to geophysical data from the subsurface. Data of the survey is herein presented together with the interpretation of the results.