Digital speckle correlation for strain measurement by image analysis

This paper is concerned with small strain measurement utilizing the numerical processing of digital images. The proposed method has its theoretical basis in digital signal analysis and, from a methodological point of view, it can be considered as an extension to digital images of the wellknown white light speckle photography technique. That conventional method is based on the analysis of photographic plates that are exposed twice (before and after the specimen deformation) with the image of a random speckle pattern that has been previously printed on the test piece surface. The digital speckle correlation advantages consist of requiring a very simple specimen preparation and, mainly, of allowing the strain field computation just by numerical elaboration of the acquired images. In this paper, the theoretical basis of the technique and some valuable improvements to the known analogous methodologies are presented. Finally, test results for an application of digital speckle correlation are shown and advantages and disadvantages of the technique are elaborated. In addition, further developments in this area are discussed.     

Nondestructive testing using temporal phase evaluation in speckle interferometry

A novel nondestructive testing (NDT) method is reported in which temporal evolution of the speckles in speckle interferometry is used to measure large object deformations. The basic principle of the method is that continuous object movement introduces fluctuations in the phase of the speckle and is recorded as intensity modulation. Acquiring a large number of frames of the object motion, the phase data for the whole object deformation are then retrieved by the Fourier transformation technique. The method is capable of measuring more than 100 μm in-plane and out-of-plane deformation with speckle interferometry and more than 500 μm for speckle shearing interferometry. The authors discuss the NDT results obtained with the three methods and make some relative comparisons of each.     

数字图像相关方法中散斑图的质量评价研究

在利用数字图像相关方法测量物体表面变形时,被测物体表面必需覆盖有灰度随机分布的散斑场,该散斑场作为试件表面变形信息的载体随试件一起变形。在实际情况下,不同的散斑场会显示出完全不同的灰度分布特征,并对数字图像相关方法的测量结果有着重要影响。因此如何定量评价散斑图的优劣是数字图像相关方法中一个重要的基本问题,也是该方法的使用者非常关心的问题。基于最近数字图像相关方法基本理论研究的进展,本文提出平均灰度梯度这一新参数用于散斑图质量的评价。为证实该参数的有效性,本文对五幅明显不同的散斑图进行了精确平移,并将数字图像相关方法测量的位移与预加的平移量进行比较,分析了位移测量结果的均值误差和标准差。结果显示位移测量结果的均值误差和标准差均与散斑图的平均灰度梯度有关,一个好的散斑图应该具有较大的平均灰度梯度。     

时间序列散斑干涉技术的发展及应用

当用相干光照射一个连续变形的漫射物体表达时，由漫射物体表面散射所形成的物光与一参考光干涉，在其干涉的区域即可形成一随时间变化的散斑场，连续采集这一时变散斑场，并通过时间域分析，即可获得被测物质表面所对应的时变位移场，本文在作者研究的基础上，介绍序列散斑计量技术中所发展起来的几种计量方法，探讨它们的计量特性及其发展方向，并同时给出这些计量方法在时变场检测中的一些应用成果。     

超声散斑多谱值相关法测量技术

超声散斑相关法能对物体的变形进行非接触式测量,但在相关运算时,由于相关系数是一个多峰函数,在搜索相关系数最大值时经常会将次峰误判为主峰,从而造成很大的测量误差。本文提出的超声散斑多谱值相关法,对位移前和位移后的散斑场中各散斑信号进行离散谱分析时,取多个振幅谱值分别组成数据矩阵并各自进行相关运算,比较运算得到的各个位移值来确定真实位移,它能避免因相关系数主峰误判所引起的误差。本文应用超声散斑多谱值相关法对水下物体的位移进行了实测,实验结果表明该方法不仅能有效地避免相关系数主峰的误判,而且提高了位移测量精度。     

Full-field speckle pattern image correlation with B-Spline deformation function

A full-field speckle pattern image correlation method is presented that will determine directly the complete, two-dimensional deformation field during the image correlation process on digital images obtained using computer vision systems. In this work, a B-Spline function is used to represent the object deformation field throughout the entire image area. This is an improvement over subset-based image correlation methods by implicitly maintaining position and derivative continuity constraints among subsets up to a specified order. The control point variables within the B-Spline deformation function are optimized iteratively with the Levenberg-Marquardt method to achieve minimum disparity between the predicted and actual deformed images. Results have shown that the proposed method is computationally efficient, accurate and robust. The general framework of this method can be applied ton-dimensional image correlation systems that solve for multi-dimension vector fields.     

井下巷道围岩变形的散斑分析法

通过对散斑计量法原理分析、数学描述及观测实例的论述，证明激光散斑法是研究煤矿地下结构物相似模型变形状态的一种新的无损检测技术，若采用白光作为光源，该项技术可用于二维变形场的实地测试。     

测量温度场分布的激光散斑照相计量术

本文讨论了激光散斑照相术在测量密度(或温度)扬中的应用。提出了激光散斑——纹影干涉仪的光学系统,可在同一瞬时得到一张散斑图和一张差分干涉图。对沿竖直加热平板自然对流的温度边界层进行了定量地测量。从散斑图和从干涉图中获得的实验结果符合极好。为了说明本方法的应用范围,对一个非稳定的波动甚大的本申灯火焰进行了测量。实验结果表示,激光散斑照相术更适于研究湍流场,因为干涉术在这种情况下已失去其定量计量的作用。     

一种通过条纹方向图提取散斑条纹中心线的方法

在光测力学中,如何从单幅散斑干涉条纹图中消除散斑噪声,高精度自动提取相位信息,是一项较困难的工作。本文提出了一种计算条纹方向的简单算法,以及通过条纹方向图提取散斑条纹中心线的方法。实验表明此方法对高噪声的散斑条纹图非常有效。     

Recent Progress in Digital Image Correlation

In this paper, we report the following important progress recently made in the basic theory and practical implementation of digital image correlation (DIC) for deformation measurement. First, we answer a basic but confusing question to the users of DIC: what is a good speckle pattern for DIC? We present a simple, easy-to-compute yet effective global parameter, called mean intensity gradient, for quality assessment of the entire speckle pattern. Second, we provide an overview of various correlation criteria used in DIC for evaluating the similarity of the reference and deformed subsets, and demonstrate the equivalence of three robust and most widely used correlation criteria, i.e., a zero-mean normalized cross-correlation (ZNCC) criterion, a zero-mean normalized sum of squared difference (ZNSSD) criterion and a parametric zero-mean normalized sum of squared difference (PSSD_ab) criterion with two additional unknown parameters, which elegantly unifies these correlation criteria for subset-based pattern matching. Third, we describe an iterative least squares (ILS) algorithm for accurate subpixel motion detection, which is proved to be equivalent to the existing Newton–Raphson algorithm, but the principle and implementation of ILS algorithm is more straightforward and easier. Finally, to overcome the two limitations of existing subset-based DIC technique, we introduce a robust and generally applicable reliability-guided DIC technique, in which the calculation path is guided by the ZNCC coefficients of computed points, to determine the genuine full-field deformation of an object with complex shape.     

Micro- and Nanoscale Deformation Measurement of Surface and Internal Planes via Digital Image Correlation

The digital image correlation (DIC) technique is successfully applied across multiple length scales through the generation of a suitable speckle pattern at each size scale. For microscale measurements, a random speckle pattern of paint is created with a fine point airbrush. Nanoscale displacement resolution is achieved with a speckle pattern formed by solution deposition of fluorescent silica nanoparticles. When excited, the particles fluoresce and form a speckle pattern that can be imaged with an optical microscope. Displacements are measured on the surface and on an interior plane of transparent polymer samples with the different speckle patterns. Rigid body translation calibrations and uniaxial tension experiments establish a surface displacement resolution of 1 μm over a 5×6 mm scale field of view for the airbrushed samples and 17 nm over a 100×100 μm scale field of view for samples with the fluorescent nanoparticle speckle. To demonstrate the capabilities of the method, we characterize the internal deformation fields generated around silica microspheres embedded in an elastomer under tensile loading. The DIC technique enables measurement of complex deformation fields with nanoscale precision over relatively large areas, making it of particular relevance to materials that possess multiple length scales.     

变形测量中的数字散斑相关搜索方法

本文用仿射变换阐述了数字散斑相关方法的基本原理,通过分析散斑位移及其导数对物体变形前后散斑图的相关性的影响,对相关算法作了简化,提出了相关搜索方法.典型的实验证实了该方法的可行性,同时就散斑颗粒尺寸、子区大小对相关识别的影响等问题进行了讨论,初步给出了相关计算的有关最佳参数.     

基于光学和扫描显微平台的微尺度实验力学检测技术和装置研究

本文基于光学和扫描显微平台,介绍了本研究组在微尺度实验力学检测技术和设备方面的最新研究成果。在检测技术方面涉及显微散斑干涉技术、微标记阵列检测技术、晶粒变形分析技术、光学探针动静态变形分析技术;在检测系统和装置方面介绍了新近开发的双视场薄膜检测系统、散斑微干涉系统、微标记检测平台、AFM和SEM单轴拉伸装置、三维微定位与加载系统、微力传感器及其标定装置、微动平台驱动装置等。探讨了微尺度实验力学检测中的问题和新的检测技术,给出了一些典型的应用和相关装置。     

On the propagation and pulsation of Portevin-Le Chatelier deformation bands: An experimental study with digital speckle pattern metrology

The Portevin-Le Chatelier (PLC) effect is closely associated with inhomogeneous deformation, which is characterized by the band of strain localization. In this work, the spatio-temporal dynamics of the Portevin-Le Chatelier deformation bands are investigated by a novel digital speckle pattern metrology technique consisting of digital speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI) and digital speckle correlation (DSC). A series of tension process of a commercial aluminum alloy (A2017) under different imposed strain rates in a range from 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻³ s⁻¹ are monitored in real time with this technique. The formation of the PLC band, the evolution of the band structure and the propagation of the band are visualized and followed by fringe patterns. The distribution of the deformation in the specimen containing the band is measured precisely. It is shown that even for a tensile test, an elastic shrinkage deformation, which is caused by the avalanche-like shearing deformation within the band, occurs outside the band.     

电子错位散斑研究

本文从理论上分析了错位散斑实现电子干涉的可行性,推导了摄象机光靶接收的错位散斑的光强表达式,分析了电子干涉条纹的可见度,提出并实现了电子错位散斑技术的三种方法,即实时法,双曝光法和实时时间差法。获得了位移梯度等值条纹的电子干涉图。     

Ceramic-Based Speckles and Enhanced Feature-Detecting Algorithm for Deformation Measurement at High Temperature

The mechanical properties of Ni-base alloys have drawn considerable attention owing to their wide application in the hot components of aircrafts and gas turbines. To accurately measure the deformation of Ni-based alloys at high temperatures, a new type of high-temperature speckles is fabricated on the surface of specimens subjected to long heating durations at temperatures up to 1400 °C. Meanwhile, a novel measurement method based on the scale-invariant feature transform algorithm is developed to measure the deformation and obtain a more accurate result. Both of the above proposed methods are used in a creep test of Inconel 713C at 860 °C. The experimental results indicate that the speckles exhibit excellent performance under heating conditions and adhere well to the substrate at high temperatures. Also, the proposed deformation measurement method exhibits superior image processing even when the speckle quality is imperfect with respect to speckle size.     

Coupling Self-Adaptive Meshing-Based Regularization and Global Image Correlation for Spatially Heterogeneous Deformation Characterization

Background

Image-based global correlation involves a class of ill-posed inverse problems associated with speckle quality and deformation gradients on specimen surfaces. However, the method used to simultaneously integrate the prior information related to images and deformations and effectively regularize these inverse problems still faces severe challenges, especially when complex heterogeneous deformation gradients exist over sample surfaces with locally degraded speckle patterns.

Objective

We propose a novel self-adaptive meshing-based regularization for global image correlation to determine spatially complex heterogeneous deformations.

Methods

A virtual truss system with a linearly elastic constitutive relationship is employed to self-adaptively implement surface meshing by numerically balancing the exerted virtual forces under the constraints of the local speckle image quality and deformation gradients. The 2-norm-based condition number of the local stiffness matrix is introduced to ensure numerical stability during meshing.

Results

The algorithms can behave as a smart regularization procedure integrating all the prior information during numerical calculations, consequently achieving an accurate, precise and robust characterization of heterogeneous deformations, as demonstrated by virtual simulations and actual experiments.

Conclusions

The regularization strategy coupled to image-based correlation is also promising for automatic quantification of complex heterogeneous deformations, particularly from images with locally degraded speckle patterns.

     

DIGITAL SPECKLE CORRELATION METHOD IMPROVED BY GENETIC ALGORITHM

The digital speckle correlation method is an important optical metrology for surface displacement and strain measurement. With this technique, the whole field deformation information can be obtained by tracking the geometric points on the speckle images based on a correlation-matching search technique. However, general search techniques suffer from great computational complexity in the processing of speckle images with large deformation and the large random errors in the processing of images of bad quality. In this paper, an advanced approach based on genetic algorithms (GA) for correlation-matching search is developed. Benefiting from the abilities of global optimum and parallelism searching of GA, this new approach can complete the correlation-matching search with less computational consumption and at high accuracy. Two experimental results from the simulated speckle images have proved the efficiency of the new approach.     

In-plane and out-of-plane displacement measurement by ultrasonic speckle correlation method (USCM)

When an object moves, ultrasonic speckles backscattered from its surface will follow the object to move. From the Kirchhoff diffraction theory and the correlation principles of random signals, the necessary condition for keeping the correlativity between the speckle fields before and after the objective displacement was deduced. Based on this condition, the formulas for the relationship between the speckle displacement and the objective displacement were obtained. Practical measurement was performed. Ultrasonic digital speckle correlation method was used to measure the in-plane displacement and out-of-plane displacement of an object. The displacements of the objective surface were evaluated after the displacements of the speckles were determined.This method can be also used to measure the displacements of an inner objective surface. A mountain-climbing search method was proposed, which enabled us to find the maximum correlation coefficient in the correlation operation quickly and efficiently. The experimental results showed good agreement with the theoretical predictions.     

Displacement and Strain Measurement by Circular and Radial Gratings Moiré Method

Direct digital moiré method of circular and radial gratings with its phase shifting technique is proposed and applied in a mixed-mode fracture problem of large deformation materials. Circular and radial curves are used as both reference and specimen gratings in this digital moiré method for deformation measurement. And phase shifting technique is automatically implemented directly on circular and radial fringes, which facilitates obtaining displacement fields in polar coordinate system, radial u _r and circumferential u _θ , and strain fields ε _r, ε _θ , ε _rθ are calculated subsequently. Application of the direct digital moiré method of circular and radial gratings in a mixed-mode fracture problem with large deformation illustrates the process of this method, and also demonstrates its feasibility and validity for large deformation materials.