Uncertainty Quantification for DIC Displacement Measurements in Industrial Environments

Abstract

AbstractBackground: most methods of uncertainty quantification for digital image correlation are orientated towards the research environment and it remains difficult to quantify all of the uncertainty introduced along the measurement chain in an industrial environment. This gap in capability can become critical when physical tests are required for certification purposes. Objective: To develop and demonstrate an uncertainty quantification method that was independent of a specific DIC system, easily integrated with the measurement workflow, applicable at the measurement location and capable of capturing the contributions from all sources of uncertainty. Methods: an elegant new method utilises the calibration target, commonly used with DIC systems to evaluate their intrinsic and extrinsic parameters, through reference measurements before and after relative motion between the measurement system and the object of interest. The method is described and demonstrated for quantifying the field of uncertainty associated with maps of displacement and deformation in a large-scale industrial component. Results: The fields of uncertainty associated with measurements, using stereoscopic DIC, of x-, y- and z- displacement components during a compression buckling test on an aircraft fuselage panel are presented. The derived uncertainty has independently been corroborated along one axis by moving a calibrated translation stage. Conclusions: A new method has been proposed that allows the quantification of the fields of uncertainty arising from all sources when DIC measurements are performed on a large-scale object of interest in an industrial environment. The method requires no additional equipment and can be readily included in the workflow of a measurement campaign.