GPR characterization of water transfers in Tuffeau walls

Abstract

Rehabilitation of old buildings is a necessity for reductions in energy consumption and preservation of cultural heritage. To achieve good rehabilitations in old buildings, an efficient diagnosis allows to determine the various existing pathologies and their causes. In this study, we focus on the Tuffeau which is widely used in the old buildings of the Loire Valley (France). Currently, the moisture condition measurements are carried out using probes that are placed in the walls. These sensors take very localized measurements with an alteration of the structure (coring). In this paper, we propose to analyze the water gradients due to water transfer in Tuffeau blocks using an electromagnetic waveguide model applied to nondestructive testing (Ground Penetrating Radar).