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Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

This study describes the extensive survey of the Holy Kadhimiya Shrine in Baghdad, Iraq, carried out with the use of a non-invasive geophysical instrument called Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to assess the conditions of subsurface and the condition of the infrastructure in the site. The total area of the shrine is 19,575 m2 that was systematically studied with the help of internal measures, satellite imagery and radar profiling. The frequency antennas used for the GPR survey were the 250 MHz, 500 MHz, and 800 MHz which have a penetration depth of 1-15 m. Specialized software packages (Ground Vision, Reexplore and Object Mapper) were used for data processing to ensure the correct interpretation of the subsurface anomalies. The results were as follows: (1) The precise topographic surveys allowed a reliable matching by radar; (2) Water and sewage pipelines were located near the main gates; especially rain water drainage lines were interpreted as remains of an ancient tomb; and (3) No unusual geological formations were detected, except for historical brick layers which do not affect stability of soil. In conclusion the research conducted could conclude that overall GPR is effective instrument for investigating heritage sites, including the engineering and archaeological applications. Aerial photographs taken using radar imaging have been helpful in gaining an understanding of the area; it is recommended that further geotechnical validation work be undertaken by collecting soil samples to determine bearing capacity and to feed into plans for future restoration or development. The application of geophysical methods together with traditional survey is an integrated survey method to preserve and manage cultural landmarks that can also be adopted as a model for other studies in historic urban environment.

Keywords

GPR, Kadhimiya, Surveying, Subsurface utility

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