Automatic detection and classification of buried objects using ground-penetrating radar for counter-improvised explosive devices

In this paper, a technique that can automatically detect and classify objects buried under the ground is proposed. The technique employs a ground-penetrating radar that transmits electromagnetic waves in order to strike the objects and then receives the backscattering electromagnetic wave to perform signal processing. This signal processing is divided into four main steps as follows. First, preprocessing is used to reduce the clutter due to the effect of the media layer interface. Second, the late time of the scattering signal is estimated using a simple cross correlation. Third, a few successive poles are extracted from the scattering response at the estimated late time by using the short-time matrix pencil method. Finally, the extracted poles are fed for object classification with different constitutions and/or shapes using a support vector machine. Simulations according to the practical situation in three southern provinces of Thailand to counter the improvised explosive devices were set up. The performance of the proposed technique was evaluated. The simulation results showed that the proposed technique can efficiently detect and classify buried objects for counter-improvised explosive device operations in the military.