Wall penetrating radar: a new tool for the building archaeologist

By Guillaume Hulin, Benjamin Fores, François-Xavier Simon and Carole Lallet

New tools such as photogrammetry or 3D scanner surveys have revolutionized the way of understanding the archaeological study of a building. These tools are now commonly used but, when walls are covered by plaster or cement, the visual observations are considerably more complex. The implementation of observation windows to be pitted can prove to be a delicate exercise and potentially not representative of the part of the building to be studied. Geophysical techniques and more particularly the radar method can partly guide this approach thanks to the preliminary realization of an extensive wall imaging. They can also be a precious help for the setting up of scientific projects of building excavations by giving an overview of the surfaces not probed during the evaluation. This type of analysis is based on the use of very high frequency radar (>2 GHz). These radar antennas, initially developed for civil engineering, allow the inspection of concrete and the evaluation of its quality. When the surface of a wall is sufficiently smooth, the realization of a dense mesh of measurement allows a wall to be examined very quickly on a few decimeters of thickness with a very high resolution. Old features can then appear such as filled openings or differences in material. These applications are still developed very little but a strong potential exists. Inrap’s geophysics and remote sensing unit is currently working on this theme to improve building studies. Following a first test carried out at the Abbey of Ferrières-en-Gâtinais (45), we will show here the potential of the method and the various applications which can result from it to help the work of the archaeologist of the building. A research project has been submitted in 2021 to associate geophysicists and archaeologists on this research theme directly related to field operations.




To quote this video

HULIN, Guillaume, FORES, Benjamin, SIMON, François-Xavier & LALLET, Carole. (2021). Le radar mural : un nouvel outil pour l’archéologue du bâti [Vidéo]. Dans V. Mataouchek, C. Carpentier, M. Bouiron & F. Guyonnet (dir.), Archéologie préventive sur le bâti : actes du 5e séminaire scientifique et technique de l’Inrap, 28-29 oct. 2021, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. <https://sstinrap.hypotheses.org/13089>.


To quote this poster

HULIN, Guillaume, FORES, Benjamin, SIMON, François-Xavier & LALLET, Carole. (2021). Le radar mural : un nouvel outil pour l’archéologue du bâti [Poster]. Dans V. Mataouchek, C. Carpentier, M. Bouiron & F. Guyonnet (dir.), Archéologie préventive sur le bâti : actes du 5e séminaire scientifique et technique de l’Inrap, 28-29 oct. 2021, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. <https://sstinrap.hypotheses.org/13089>. <hal-03431470>.


Authors

Guillaume Hulin – Inrap, Direction scientifique et technique – UMR 7619 METIS – guillaume.hulin@inrap.fr
Benjamin Fores –
Inrap, Direction scientifique et technique – benjamin.fores@inrap.fr
François-Xavier Simon –
Inrap, Direction scientifique et technique (centre de Dijon) – UMR 6249 Chrono-Environnement – francois-xavier.simon@inrap.fr
Carole Lallet
– Inrap Centre-Île-de-France – carole.lallet@inrap.fr



Citer ce billet
Carine Carpentier (2021, 19 novembre). Wall penetrating radar: a new tool for the building archaeologist. Géophysique et télédétection à l’Inrap. Consulté le 28 mars 2024, à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/p03k

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