elfe3D_GPR is a 3D edge-based Finite Element (FE) software for Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) geophysical heterogeneous models in the frequency domain.
You find the elfe3D_GPR manual including installation instructions at this link.
elfe3D_GPR builds on the elfe3D software developed by Paula Rulff (GitHub) that simulates diffusive-field problems in Controlled-Source Electromagnetism.
Both elfe3D and elfe3D_GPR are programmed in Fortran 90, that use:
- tetgen (the Fortran version 1.5 currently), for producing unstructured tetrahedral mesh, and
- MUMPS for solving the FE system of linear equations.
The major changes between elfe3D and elfe3D_GPR are as follows:
elfe3D_GPRsolves the full wave equation of electromagnetism based on Maxwell's equations (whereaselfe3Dsolved the approximated equation for diffusive-field regime of very low frequencies.)- A Perfectly Matched Layer (PML) is added to absorb outgoing waves from the truncated computational model domain.
These two major changes have been rigorously developed and described in the master's thesis written by Chaitanya Singh, and supervised by Paula Rulff and Evert Slob (thesis_doc).
Since the thesis, elfe3D_GPR now also includes a Python I/O module for rapid and intuitive input model generation and output processing.
If you would like to discuss the theoretical background of elfe3D_GPR, suggest changes to the software, or would like to contribute,
you are welcome to contact us at: chaitanya.singh@northumbria.ac.uk.
If you publish results generated with elfe3D_GPR, please give credit to the elfe3D_GPR developers by citing:
Singh, C.D. (2025). Frequency-Domain Wideband Ground Penetrating Radar Modelling: Using Finite Elements and Perfectly Matched Layers. Master's Thesis, Delft University of Technology. https://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b883c3d6-beb2-4842-b867-21d0c777aff7.
and elfe3D developers by citing:
Paula Rulff, Laura M Buntin, Thomas Kalscheuer, Efficient goal-oriented mesh refinement in 3-D finite-element modelling adapted for controlled source electromagnetic surveys, Geophysical Journal International, Volume 227, Issue 3, December 2021, Pages 1624–1645, https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggab264.
Do not forget to acknowledge MUMPS and TetGen developers!