Incremental calculation for large deformation measurement using reliability-guided digital image correlation

Conventional digital image correlation (DIC) technique using a fixed reference image provides high-accuracy measurements but normally fails when serious decorrelation effect occurs in the deformed images due to large deformation, serious illumination fluctuations or other reasons. In this paper, an incremental reliability-guided digital image correlation (RG-DIC) technique, by combining the recently developed RG-DIC technique and an automatic reference image updating scheme, is proposed for large deformation measurement. In the incremental RG-DIC technique, a seed point is defined in the original reference image and searched in the deformed images, if the estimated correlation coefficient is larger than a preset threshold, which means no serious decorrelation effect exists in the deformed image, the RG-DIC technique is used to continue correlation analysis to obtain full-field displacements. Otherwise, the image recorded just before the current deformed image is chosen as an updated reference image to proceed with correlation analysis. Afterwards, the incremental displacements extracted by comparing the current deformed image and the updated reference image can be cumulated to determine the overall deformation. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is demonstrated by retrieving the full-field deformation of a foam sample subjected to large compressive deformation.

► An incremental reliability-guided digital image correlation technique is proposed for large deformation measurement.
► Decorrelation effect due to large deformation can be overcome by updating the reference image during correlation analysis.
► Developed technique is useful in characterizing the deformation of polymeric materials, foams and soft tissues.