Setup of a microwave reflectometer for the subsurface survey of masonry structures

Electromagnetic waves are widely used for the assessment of architectural structures, like walls, wood beams, stone, and concrete. Ultrasound, Ground Penetrating Radar, and impedance tomography are commercially available and largely used for deep investigation, but the resolution on the first range of 10-20 cm is not particularly effective. The interest of authors is the development of a robust and user-friendly non-destructive measurement system to diagnose the materials used in masonry until 20 cm in depth, with a resolution less than 2cm. A similar system could be crucial to diagnose hidden defects within the material in order to prevent damages and to properly design remedial intervention.