SESSIONS

Non-invasive sensing methods to explore volumes of the underground, characterizing urban and extra-urban environment, as well as portions of historical building are a very important research field in the context of Cultural Heritage (CH) knowledge, preservation and conservation.
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is one of the mostly assessed and exploited technologies for non-destructive subsurface sensing and imaging. Its flexibility (as far as systems, measurement protocols and processing strategies are concerned) makes it a powerful tool to handle many different observation and sensing applications.
New step frequency radar technologies, innovative multichannel antenna design and automated platforms acquisitions are the most recent trends, with application for landscape, urban investigations and preventive archaeology. EM-wave diagnostics have been developed for application to small targets such as historical building elements or precious goods, fully exploiting a wide part of the EM spectrum ranging from microwave to UV, including LiDAR and THz technologies. The contribution of the micro-geophysical methods is particularly relevant to the documentation of cultural sites.
GPRITALIA 2025 organises a workshop which will explore GPR Methods in Archaeology and Historical Buildings. The session will cover a variety of topics which will encompass field collection practices and survey design as well as introduce signal processing and image processing techniques which are often used for CH applications. The use of forward models to aid in the interpretation of recorded radargrams from archaeological sites and historical buildings will be examined, as well as the integration between multiple methods.
These systems can gather large amounts of data over the inspected scenarios, for which further in-depth elaboration is often required to achieve detailed reconstructions. Recently, big data and Artificial Intelligence techniques have contributed to the improvement of the interpretation and classification of radar data.
This session is devoted to the updated GPR method developed and employed to study the characterization, the protection and the valorisation of CH sites and buildings.

This session will focus on the application of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) in forensic investigations. GPR is a non-invasive geophysical method that has proven to be an invaluable tool in the forensic field. In the forensic context, GPR is used for the detection of hidden or buried targets (from weapons to human bodies) beneath soil or water or inside walls. Its capability to aid the research and recovery of these targets investigating large areas non-destructively and rapidly aids the search for clandestine burials, concealed hiding places, and even locating missing persons. It also plays a crucial role in the safeguarding of cultural and archaeological assets against heritage crimes, providing insights into illicit excavations and illegal activities.
This session will provide an overview of the current methodologies, case studies, and best practices in forensic GPR applications, highlighting not only its significance and relevance but also ethical and deontological aspects during criminal investigations.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology has undergone significant advancements, evolving from a conventional subsurface investigation tool into a high-performance solution for complex applications. The Advanced GPR Systems session aims to showcase cutting-edge developments that enhance data acquisition, processing, and interpretation, offering new perspectives in geophysical surveying.

We welcome contributions on novel GPR array architectures that improve spatial resolution, increase penetration depth maintaining a good resolution, and survey efficiency, as well as the integration of GPR with complementary technologies such as LiDAR, GNSS, and robotic platforms. A particular focus will be given to the application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for automated GPR data processing, enabling faster interpretation and higher reliability.

Additionally, we encourage studies on innovative approaches that go beyond standard methodologies, such as GPR deployment in extreme environments, multi-frequency applications for detailed stratigraphic analysis, and high-productivity techniques for large-scale surveys.

This session provides a unique opportunity for researchers, professionals, and system developers to discuss the latest trends and share groundbreaking solutions that are shaping the future of GPR.

If you are working on an advanced GPR system that pushes the limits of technology, we invite you to submit your contribution and join the discussion on how emerging innovations can redefine the field.

The session will focus on two topics: 1) the 3D radar scan of above ground structures and 2) the use of parallel cloud computing to process large datasets collected with multichannel GPR system (MCGPR).
1) Selected case studies will illustrate the potential of the vector imaging technique offered by GPR-SLICE software, demonstrating its effectiveness in processing and visualizing unconventional acquisition geometries across above-ground structures such as walls, columns, and pillars. The presentation will highlight the key factors necessary to achieve reliable, accurate, and informative results, ensuring proper interpretation of data
2) Partly due to the introduction of multichannel GPR systems (MCGPR) which are more suitable for underground mapping instead of just the detection of buried objects, the demand for GPR data processing tools has grown at a steady pace during the last two decades. The advantages of MCGPR are recognized and used in different fields from subsurface utility engineering to archaeology, however, data processing and proper 3D imaging generation are still quite time consuming. This is particularly problematic for vehicle-mounted MCGPR solutions that record gigabytes of data after scanning for a few minutes. Since current software packages are not optimized for handling large data sets (>100km), the current workaround involves splitting field data collection into smaller sections. The presentation will show how parallel cloud computing can dramatically accelerate processing and visualization times as opposed to using a single computer

In ground penetrating radar (GPR), a key role is played by the processing techniques which are applied to the measured data to obtain information about the structures under test. This Session will focus on processing methods based on inverse scattering. The goal of such methods is to retrieve a qualitative (e.g., location, size, shape) or quantitative (e.g., dielectric properties) characterization of the involved targets by solving an inverse electromagnetic scattering problem. In other words, this means that from the effects of electromagnetic scattering phenomena (i.e., the scattered field or some derived quantities), these methods try to find their cause (i.e., the properties of the structures under test). This problem, whose definition derives from Maxwell’s equations but may present different formulations, is highly ill-posed. In addition, if no significant model approximations are done, it is nonlinear. Therefore, advanced inversion techniques are required, supported by suitable regularization methods. Differently to conventional free space configurations, GPR inversion is further complicated by the fact that, in many cases, the measurement probes may only acquire aspect-limited data, since they cannot be placed all around the targets. These factors make the problem solution very complex, but also very fascinating, for both scientists and end users of GPR systems. In particular, end users perceive the qualitative leap in the obtained information compared to traditional processing techniques. This motivates the study of this topic and makes it a very active research field. In this Session, both theoretical developments and practical applications will be considered, highlighting the most innovative and promising trends in inverse scattering research.

Rapid population growth, with more than 70% of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050, makes urban areas and civil infrastructure critical elements of modern society. The sustainability and resilience of urban areas depend heavily on the ability to manage underground spaces. One of the main pillars of urban planning is the characterisation, modelling and management of underground layers. The mapping of lifelines and infrastructure (e.g. communication lines, tunnels, etc..), the identification of active faults, underground voids and landslide-prone areas, the detection and monitoring of geo-resources (e.g. groundwater, etc..), the monitoring and the surveillance of civil infrastructures (e.g. roads, bridges, tunnels, dams, etc..) are typical actions in any urban planning programme. The ability to better manage the urban underground seems even more relevant when we consider the concept of “compact cities”. There is a growing interest in creating space for multiple urban functions and services in a limited area, reducing the footprint of the urban environment and contributing to the reduction of energy consumption. Compact cities avoid the problems associated with urban sprawl and are an effective way of adapting to climate change. In this general context, the session aims to present and discuss novel applications of the GPR method, which has become an indispensable tool to study engineering, environmental and geological/geotechnical problems in urban areas, to monitor civil infrastructure and the built environment, and to support stakeholders involved in strategic programmes to make cities resilient and sustainable. Great attention will be given to the integration of GPR with other geophysical methods (passive seismic measurements, electrical resistivity tomography, etc.), the use of GPR sensors by means of robotic systems and unmanned vehicles, and the application of innovative software for 3D data visualization and AI-based approaches for GPR data analysis, processing and interpretation.

Combining Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) data with other geophysical methods (e.g. seismic, resistivity, electromagnetic, magnetic or gravimetric), as well as complementary techniques (e.g. geomatic, geotechnical, geological, etc.), enhances the accuracy and reliability of site characterization. This integrated approach reduces uncertainty and maximizes the effectiveness of geophysical surveys, providing deeper insights into complex subsurface conditions.
This session welcomes contributions that explore the synergistic use of GPR with other experimental methods, both geophysical and complementary, including but not limited to:
– Innovative techniques for quantitative integration of multi-parameter datasets;
– Applications in archaeological prospection and cultural heritage preservation;
– Advanced methods for the conservation and restoration of historical and modern buildings;
– Non-destructive testing for civil structures and infrastructure;
– Urban geophysical investigations;
– Assessment and monitoring of natural and anthropogenic hazards;
– Studies in glacial and periglacial environments.
We encourage presentations that demonstrate novel methodologies, groundbreaking case studies and technological innovations expanding the frontiers of integrated investigations.