Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
295720 | NDT & E International | 2009 | 9 Pages |
At present, detecting structural defects such as cracking and corrosion before they become critical is largely achieved by time consuming techniques such as eddy current and ultrasonic testing. These techniques require point-by-point scanning over the area to be tested. Digital image correlation could provide a cheaper and quicker testing technique. It works by correlating images of the structure surface in unloaded and loaded states taken with a standard digital camera, giving the displacement and strain fields. The specific case of a crack at a hole in an aluminium plate was investigated. It was found that the strain concentration around the crack tip is too localised to detect; however, the displacement jump across the crack could be seen. This technique allows the cracks to be detected and would allow rapid testing of a structure if it can easily be loaded.