Strukton expands Belgian rail activities
News
06 January 2026
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Working in the ground? Planning excavation work? First check what’s below the surface. In the subsurface, there is always a chance that cables or pipelines are present that are not shown on existing maps. Striking a cable or pipeline can cause serious damage to underground infrastructure, resulting in high additional costs, delays and inconvenience for local residents. Fortunately, this is preventable. Before starting any work, scan the project area with our 3D ground‑penetrating radar and gain insight into the subsurface conditions.
We mount our ground radar beneath an electric quad or hand‑pushed cart, allowing us to map the underground environment in a sustainable way. For our own work in railway environments, we also mount the system on the Leonardo Inspection Train.
Ground radar applications
Below are several practical applications of the 3D ground‑penetrating radar.
KLIC verifications
Verify known positional data and record the precise location of cables and pipelines, including their actual depth (cover verification). Unknown cables or pipelines are often found as well. Ground radar research can significantly reduce the number of trial trenches required.
Example of radar data interpretation (blue) on a KLIC background.
BIM
During project planning and execution, Building Information Models (BIM) are often used to create and manage spatial information. However, underground data is frequently missing.
With 3D radar, you gain an additional subsurface dimension in the model, optimising project planning and execution (e.g. clash detection, determining available space, etc.).
We can also provide above‑ground 3D scans. If desired, all available data — both current and future conditions — can be visualised using AR applications or processed into a digital twin.
Detection of voids
Voids can cause subsidence and structural damage to roads, dykes and other assets. Ground radar makes it possible to detect early‑stage voids, such as those caused by washouts or animal activity (badgers, beavers, water voles, etc.), as well as cracking due to damage or drought.
Example of a detected fox den.
Foundations and archaeology
The subsurface often contains remnants of historical structures (foundation remains, piles, basement structures, underground tanks, etc.). In some cases, these may have archaeological value. With 3D radar, an area can be scanned comprehensively for underground objects or obstacles.
Example of a full‑coverage radar scan of an undeveloped site showing subsurface obstacles. A = depth profile in scan direction, B = top‑down depth slice at approx. 3 m below ground level.
Civil structure inspections
Ground radar enables us to “scan through” civil structures and assess their condition. This includes identifying concrete layer thickness, reinforcement grids, prestressing, corrosion of reinforcement, cracking, delamination and moisture ingress.
Example of a radar scan of a bridge deck showing the surface layer, concrete layer with reinforcement and approach slabs.
Pavement investigations
Ground radar can be used to determine the layer structure of soil and pavement. It allows accurate, full‑coverage mapping of asphalt thickness and the underlying foundation layers. This results in more precise estimates of material volumes.
In addition, ground radar can detect cracking, delamination and washouts. A further advantage is that it simultaneously provides insight into the subsurface beneath the pavement layer (manholes, cables/pipelines, voids, etc.).
