Jan De Pue

Accounting for Surface Refraction in Velocity Semblance Analysis With Air-Coupled GPR

The aim of this study is to evaluate the velocity semblance analysis technique for air-coupled common midpoint (CMP) measurements with a small antenna offset. The technique was originally developed for seismic surveys, assuming the small spread approximation. Owing to the strong refraction at the surface and shallow investigation depth, this assumption is not valid in the case of air-coupled ground-penetrating radar (GPR). To overcome this assumption, a modification to the method is proposed accounting for the refraction at the surface. Synthetic experiments were executed to demonstrate that the traditional method resulted in a persistent overestimation, whereas the modified method improved the results significantly. Two field experiments have been conducted to test the method under different field conditions. In a first experiment on a road test site, the modified method improved the estimation of depth and propagation velocity significantly. However, the technique failed to estimate the propagation velocity and depth or objects in a second field test, due to rough terrain conditions and noise in the data. Therefore, an additional modification was proposed, by incorporating in-line data as well. This improved the depth and velocity estimations significantly. Overall, this study demonstrates that the traditional velocity semblance analysis (TRAD) is not valid for air-coupled GPR. By accounting for the refraction at the surface and incorporating inline data, it is possible to successfully estimate depth and propagation velocity with small offset air-coupled GPR configurations.

Quasi 3D modelling of vadose zone soil-water flow for optimizing irrigation strategies: Challenges, uncertainties and efficiencies

Abstract A quasi 3D modelling approach was developed by integrating a crop growth (LINGRA-N) and a hydrological model (Hydrus-1D) to simulate and visualize water flow, soil-water storage, water stress and crop yield over a heterogeneous sandy field. We assessed computational efficiency and uncertainty with low-to high-spatial resolution input factors (soil-hydraulic properties, soil-layer thickness and groundwater level) and evaluated four irrigation scenarios (no, current, optimized and triggered) to find the optimal and cost-effective irrigation scheduling. Numerical results showed that the simulation uncertainty was reduced when using the high-resolution information while a fast performance was maintained. The approach accurately determined the field scale irrigation requirements, taking into account spatial variations of input information. Optimal irrigation scheduling is obtained by triggered-irrigation resulting in saving up to ∼300% water as compared to the current-irrigation, while yield increased ∼1%. Overall, the approach can be useful to help decision makers and applicants in precision farming.

Bodemverdichting in Vlaanderen : Gevolgen van bodemverdichting op het watertransport door een bodem

De gevolgen van bodemverdichting op het watertransport door een bodem zijn verkend. Een bodemfysische database is gecreeerd door naast historische metingen nieuwe metingen te verzamelen op verdichte percelen. Dat is gebeurd door op 26 percelen op 2 plekken op 3 diepten ongestoorde monsters te nemen en de bodemfysische eigenschappen te bepalen. Op 6 percelen zijn continue hydrologische metingen verricht van bodemvocht op 3 diepten en grondwaterstanden. De laatste metingen zijn gebruikt om te toetsen of het model SWAP met de gemeten bodemfysische eigenschappen in staat is het watertransport in het perceel te beschrijven. Met SWAP zijn voor 5 Vlaamse stroomgebiedjes de effecten van bodemverdichting verkend voor klimaatscenario’s door de verdichte en niet-verdichte toestand te vergelijken. De met de pedotransferfuncties en nieuwe data berekende effecten van verdere verdichting op de waterhuishouding blijken globaal gezien beperkt te zijn. Dit neemt niet weg dat de lokale effecten mogelijk aanzienlijk kunnen zijn, gelet op de grote variatie in bodemverdichting die binnen de percelen werd opgemeten. De verschillen tussen de verdichte en niet-verdichte situatie in stroomgebieden zijn beperkt. Klimaatscenario’s leiden op verdichte bodems tot meer oppervlakkige afstroming en meer droogtegevoeligheid