Integrating Ground Penetrating Radar and GIS-Based Spatial Analysis for Archaeological Site Preservation: A Methodological Framework for Cultural Resource Management in the United States

Purpose – This paper proposes a methodological framework that combines Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey with GIS-based spatial analysis to strengthen non-invasive documentation and risk assessment of archaeological sites managed under United States Cultural Resource Management (CRM) law. Design/methodology/approach – The framework is built from a critical synthesis of GPR archaeology, geospatial analysis, and CRM literature published between the late 1980s and 2024. A five-stage workflow is developed (data collection, GPR processing, GIS import, spatial analysis, preservation decision) and illustrated using published case studies of Indigenous mound sites, historic cemeteries, battlefields, and urban deposits. Findings – Existing CRM practice often treats geophysical survey and spatial analysis as separate technical steps rather than as a single decision-support system. When GPR amplitude time-slices are georeferenced and combined in QGIS with vulnerability layers such as erosion, planned development, and sea-level rise, managers gain a defensible, reproducible basis for triage and protective action without intrusive excavation. Originality/value – The paper contributes a CRM-oriented integration model, a tabular comparison of GPR antenna selection for common site types, and a vulnerability-weighting scheme that previous methodological work has not articulated together. It also identifies opensource, low-cost pathways suitable for under-resourced state and tribal preservation offices.