GROUND PENETRATING RADAR AND ELECTROMAGNETIC SOIL ANALYSIS METHOD
FIG2 shows a schematic view of a radar soil analysis system according to the invention
FIG2 shows a soil analysis radar system, which comprises the radar 100 as previously described. The soil analysis radar system further comprises a first antenna 101 and a second antenna 102: the first antenna 101 is in use detachably connected to the RF output 109 and the second antenna 102 is detachably connected to the RF input 110. A first cable 117 of appropriate length connects the first antenna 101 to the RF output 109 and a second cable 117 of appropriate length connects the second antenna 102 to the RF input 110. Cables 117 are standard RF cables which the technician may choose for the particular frequency of the signal generated by the radar. Cables 117 may for example be RG58, RG8, H155, RG213, or other type of coaxial cables. FIG2 further depicts the typical installation of the system 200 in the field, wherein the first antenna 101 and the second antenna 102 are arranged with their waterproof cases 116 introduced in a respective first borehole 10 and second borehole 20 pre-emptively practiced in the soil. Preferably such boreholes 10, 20 axially extend along a direction substantially coinciding with the vertical direction, although other directions may be used for performing different analysis of soils. The applicant recommends, although in a non-limiting extent, the preferred use of boreholes within 50mm and 80mm in diameter, although other diameters may be used. The first and the second borehole 10, 20 are arranged at a predetermined distance d, which in use may be some meters long, e.g. 5m. Optionally, albeit preferably, to the first and second antennas 101, 102 may be attached weights to provide tensioning, which are especially useful in case the boreholes are performed along a vertical direction.
schematic view
20
second borehole
104
receiver
112
display
115
wireless interface
108
amplification stage
31
portion portions
109
RF output
103
transmitter
30
soil soils
116
waterproof case waterproof cases
113
keyboard
10
borehole boreholes
117
cable Cables
110
first antenna
107
mains input
100
radar
105
power management unit
111
data processing unit
102
antenna
101
antenna antennas
106
battery
114
USB port
["1. Electromagnetic soil analysis method, the method being  characterized in that  it comprises: - a step of making a first borehole (10) in an initial or first predetermined position in the soil (30); - a step of making a second borehole (20) in a second predetermined position in the soil (30), said second position being different from the first position; - a step of introducing a first antenna (101) in the first borehole (10) and a second antenna (102) in the second borehole (20); - a step of feeding a predetermined radio signal (s1(t)) to said first antenna (101), so that the first antenna (101) radiates said predetermined radio signal according to a predefined radiation pattern across a portion (31) of said soil (30) so that said predetermined radio signal (s1(t)) may be received by said second antenna (102); - a step of soil compactness analysis, by determining or calculating the amount of water ( x water ) and/or humidity and/or dielectric constant ( ε ') of a portion (31) of soil (30) interested by the radiation of the first antenna, said portion (31) of soil (30) being positioned between the first antenna (101) and the second antenna (102), - wherein the step of determining or calculating the amount of water ( x water ) and/or humidity and/or dielectric constant ( ε ') of the portion (31) of soil (30) is performed by electronically measuring the speed of propagation of said predetermined radio signal (s1(t)) between said first antenna (101) and said second antenna (102) or the delay with which the predetermined radio signal (s1(t))transmitted by said first antenna (101) or through a transmitter (103) connected to said first antenna (110) reaches said second antenna (102) or a receiver (104) connected to said second antenna (102).", "11. An electromagnetic soil analysis device (100) comprising: - a transmitter (103) configured to transmit a predetermined radio signal (s1(t)) and configured to be connected - in use - with a first antenna (101); - a receiver (104) configured to receive at least a part of said predetermined radio signal (s1(t)) after a propagation into a portion (31) of soil (30) and configured to be connected - in use - with a second antenna (102), and - a data processing unit (111) configured to calculate an amount of water ( x water ) and/or humidity and/or dielectric constant ( ε ') of the portion (31) of soil (30) by automatically and electronically calculating the speed of propagation of said predetermined radio signal (s1(t)) between said transmitter (103) and said receiver (104) or by calculating the delay with which the predetermined radio signal (s1(t)) transmitted by said transmitter (103) reaches said second antenna (102) or a receiver (104) connected to said second antenna (102).", '15. A radar soil analysis system (200), said system (200) comprising an electromagnetic soil analysis device (100) according to one or more of claims 11-14 and: - a first antenna (101), electrically connected to said transmitter (103); and - a second antenna (102), electrically connected to said receiver (104); wherein the first and/or second antenna (101, 102) are dipole antennas or wherein the first and/or second antenna (101, 102) are broadband antennas, optionally dipole broadband antennas, optionally conical antennas.']