A Multidisciplinary Analysis of Frequency Domain Metal Detectors for Humanitarian Demining

Abstract

di una vita che non finisce di sorprendere, per il suo amore profondo ed il suo sorriso Ai miei Genitori, per il loro sostegno continuo e la loro pazienza Summary This thesis details an analysis of metal detectors (low frequency electromagnetic induction devices) with emphasis on Frequency Domain (FD) systems and the operational conditions of interest to humanitarian demining. After an initial look at humanitarian demining and a review of their basic principles we turn our attention to electromagnetic induction modelling and to analytical solutions to some basic FD direct (forward) problems. The second half of the thesis focuses then on the analysis of an extensive amount of experimental data. The possibility of target classification is first discussed on a qualitative basis, then quantitatively. Finally, we discuss shape and size determination via near field imaging.