
by Cindi Leeman
Learn more about digital image correlation (DIC) in the November 2022 digital edition of Materials Evaluation—now free online. This technical focus issue, guest edited by Ali Abdul-Aziz of Kent State University, provides an overview of the emerging technique of DIC.
DIC is a 2D or 3D optical tracking technique used to measure deformation, vibration, and strain in materials. High-speed cameras track a gray-value pattern in subsets through digital imaging. The technique can be used on very small or large testing areas and for materials such as aluminum, rubber, glass, and plastics.

“DIC employs a technique that enables full-field shape, displacement, and deformation measurements,” Abdul-Aziz said. DIC techniques acquire digital images of an object at different loadings using digital imaging devices. Image analysis is performed with correlation-based matching algorithms and numerical differentiation approaches to extract full-field displacement and strain responses, according to Abdul-Aziz.
“The outlook for such an inspection technique is very promising,” Abdul-Aziz said. “DIC is considered to be a revolutionary advance according to the experimental mechanics community, and the most important advance since the strain gauge. I believe it will continue to be the most practical and powerful deformation measuring tool for the foreseeable future.”
The contributed papers are:
- “Digital Image Correlation and its Role in NDE” by Ali Abdul-Aziz
- “A Three-Camera Digital Image Correlation System for Full-Field 3D Shape and Motion Measurement” by Likang Luan and Liam Crosbie
- “Experimental Investigation of Double-Sided Strain of Composites in Tensile Testing using MultiCamera DIC” by Siyun Fang, Xiaowan Zheng, Bicheng Guo, Danielle Zeng, and Lianxiang Yang
- “Assessment of Composite Aluminum Adhesive Joints using Digital Image Correlation” by Anish Poudel and Tsuchin P. Chu
- “Damage Monitoring of Ceramic Matrix Composites Under Tension Loading via NDE-Based DIC Approach” by Ali Abdul-Aziz
To read the full issue of Materials Evaluation, go to
https://asnt.org/MajorSiteSections/Publications/Periodicals/ME.aspx
_______
Cindi Leeman is ASNT Educational Materials Supervisor and Editor of ASNT Pulse, cleeman@asnt.org.
The ability to visualize stresses and strains is amazing and adds great value.