Demonstration of DIC technique for the measurement of strains

during tensile and fracture toughness tests

Suranjit Kumar, Punit Arora, P.K. Singh, Vivek Bhasin, R.K. Singh and K.K. Vaze
RSS, RSD, BARC Mumbai
Abstract
An exercise has been carried out to demonstrated the use of Digital Image Correlation (DIC)
technique for the measurement of strain during various types of tests such as tensile and fracture
toughness tests. The strain measurement has been demonstrated on the base and weld joints.
Different geometries of specimens were considered such as flat tensile and Compact Tension (CT)
specimens. Tensile specimens were fabricated from weld region and Heat affected zone of stainless
steel pipe welds. During the tensile test strain were measured by extensometer and DIC system. It
was observed that strain measured by DIC system matches fairly well with extensometer reading.
The measurements using DIC were also carried out during fracture toughness tests. Fracture tests
were done on CT specimens fabricated from similar and Dissimilar Metal pipe Weld (DMW). In
the category of similar metal pipe weld, the notch of CT specimens was lying on the weld centre
line location. Whereas, in DMW category of weld, the notch was located at HAZ location towards
Low Alloy Steel (LAS) side. During the fracture tests strain was measured using DIC system. For
the verification of DIC measured strains, 3D elastic plastic finite element analyses were performed.
The strain field ahead of crack, along crack plane, was compared with tests results of DIC system. It
was observed that strain measured using DIC system matching reasonably well with FE results.
1.0 Introduction
The mechanical properties evaluation tests often require deformation measurement system. During
tensile testing generally Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) and extensometer are
used to measured the elongation in specimens. Generally, fracture toughness tests use LVDT and
clip gauge to measure the load line displacement and crack mouth opening displacement of fracture
specimens respectively. Usually these equipments for deformation measurement such as clip gages
and LVDTs, and extensometers are typically used to obtain a one dimensional measure of the
deformation. They are also calibrated for standard size specimen only. In order to obtain the
deformation in nonstandard specimens and complete deformation field of the any specimen, other
methods must be used. DIC is a non-contact technique for the measurement of complete
deformation field on the surface of test specimen with high level of spatial resolution. Therefore, it
is possible to analyse the deformations taking place in the close vicinity of the material/ geometrical
in-homogeneity. Hence, this technique is extensively being used in the applications of strain

characterization near the crack tip and composite materials. Zhang Hao et. al. [1] have carried out
experimental investigations on rock like structures and measured the evolution of strain field with
fracture process and crack length. Hoult N.A. et. al. [2] have carried out tensile tests and compared
the measured strains using DIC with strain gauge strain data.

Xiangjun Dai et. al. [3] have

measured the fracture initiation load in cast iron using DIC. Jay D. Carroll et. al. [4] have used DIC
for the strain measurement during fatigue crack growth rate test on nickel base super alloy. The
strains were measured with crack growth. Ari J Tuononen [5] has investigated the stick and slip
mechanisms of tyre tread block on glass plate.

Thus, DIC technique finds wide variety of

engineering applications for real time deformation/ strain analyses.

DIC system is a full-field displacement and strain measurement tool used for static and moderately
dynamic loading applications. Sample preparation consists of applying a regular or random high
contrast dot pattern to the surface, commonly with spray paint. Many facets are defined across the
entire imaging area, as shown in Fig.1. The centre of each facet is a measurement point that can be
thought of as a 3D extensometer. Arrays of them form in-plane strain rosettes. With the use of two
cameras the facet centres are tracked, in each successive pair of images, with accuracy of typically
one hundredth of a pixel. Then, using the principles of photo-grammetry, the 3D coordinates of each
facet are determined for each picture set. The results can be presented in terms of 3D shape of the
component, the 3D displacements, and the in-plane strains. The method is extremely robust and is
unaffected by rigid body motions, ambient vibrations etc.
Recently, Rector Structures Section (RSS) of RSD, BARC commissioned Digital Image Correlation
(DIC) system for the non contact experimental strain measurement. In the present study, use of DIC
technique was demonstrated for the measurement of strain during various types of tests such as
tensile and fracture toughness tests. The tensile and fracture specimens were fabricated from weld
and base material. Tensile tests were done on flat tensile specimens whereas, fracture test were done
on standard Compact Tension (CT) specimens.

Fig. 1: Zoomed view of left and right camera images, with 15x15 pixel image correlation facets shown.

2.0 Experimental Details

The tensile specimens have been machined from full scale pipe weld and HAZ of 324mm OD pipe
having thickness as 25mm of SS 304LN material. The specimens were machined as indicated in
Fig. 2a. For the fracture toughness test, CT specimens were fabricated from SS pipe weld and
DMW pipe joint. The CT specimens were machined from the similar metal pipe weld and the notch
was lying on the weld centre line location (Fig. 2b) whereas in the category of DMW the notch was
machined in HAZ of LAS (Fig. 2c). The test setup with spayed tensile specimens is shown in Fig.3.

Fig. 2a: Machining of tensile specimen from Pipe weld

and HAZ

Fig. 2b: Machining of CT specimen having notch

at weld center line of SS Pipe weld

Fig. 2c: Machining of CT specimen having notch at HAZ of DMW Pipe joint

Specimen

b) Computer interface for DIC system

Extensometer

DIC System

Stage
point 0

a) Strain measurement using DIC system

extensometer during tensile testing on UTM

Stage
point 1

Stage
point 2

and c) A tensile specimen and location of strain

calculated by DIC

Fig. 3: Test setup for tensile testing and tensile specimen

2.1 Tensile Tests Details and Results

The tensile tests were carried out following the standard test procedure of ASTM E-06. Initially
tests were in load control mode up to 2/3 of Yield stress (YS). After this, tests were continued in
displacement control under extensometer feedback up till the onset of necking. At the event of
necking onset, extensometer was removed and the test was run in displacement control mode under
LVDT feedback till final fracture. Strain was measured using extensometer and DIC technique (as
shown in Fig. 3a and 3b). The strain rate as measured by the extensometer has been compared with
DIC measurements for the specimens from weld centre line location in Fig. 4a. In Fig 4a and 4b
strain by DIC system has been plotted for three different location stage 0, stage 1 and stage 2
(locations on tensile specimen are shown in Fig.3c). The comparison for engineering stress-strain
curves as measured by DIC and extensometer for weld centre line has been shown in Fig.4b. It is
apparent that the comparison for strain rate using two different techniques is in agreement to each
other till the onset of necking. After necking, the strain localization occurred in the necked region.
However, the DIC strain point was selected away from highly plastic necked region. The point
away from necked region would experience insignificant change in strains as the entire strain
energy would be consumed in the local region. However, extensometer would follow the strain rate
as prescribed in the control.

Fig. 4a: The strain rate for tensile test machined from
weld centre line

Fig. 4b: The engineering stress-strain curve for

weld centre line

Similar exercise was also carried out on tensile specimen fabricated from HAZ region. It is found
that that the comparison for strain rate and stress-strain curve using two different techniques is in
agreement to each other (Fig. 5a and 5b).

Fig. 5a The comparison of strain rate for tensile test

machined from HAZ

Fig. 5b The comparison of engineering stress-strain

curve for HAZ

2.2 Fracture Test Details and Results:

The DIC technique was further used for the strain measurements during fracture toughness tests on
CT specimens. Fracture tests were conducted as per standard procedure of ASTM E1820-09. For
the verification of DIC measured strains, 3D elastic plastic finite element analyses were carried out.
The CT domain was modelled using 20 node brick elements. Actual stress-stain data for base,
buttering and weld as determined from standard tensile tests were used in FE analyses. A typical FE
mesh for CT specimen having notch at centre of weld is shown in Fig.6. The dimensional details of
CT specimen are given in Fig.7.

Fig.6: FE mesh for CT specimen having notch at

centre of weld

Fig.7: Dimensional details of CT specimen

The strain comparison has been made with respect to a given Load Line Displacement (LLD)/ load
as applied in the actual test. The strains as measured for the notch of CT at weld centre line location
of similar metal weld category has been shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. The strain contour of maximum
principal strain on the surface has been compared with the strain contours of DIC on the same strain
scale as indicated in Fig. 8. The evaluated variation of maximum principal strain ahead of crack
(along crack plane) has been compared with the measured strain variation using DIC (Fig. 9). The
evaluated and measured strains are comparable.

a: DIC system (% Strain)

b: FE analysis (absolute strain)

Fig. 8a: Strain contours for maximum principal strain as measured by DIC tecniques, 8b: as evaluated
using FE analysis for CT having notch at weld centre line location of similar metal weld.

Path on which stain field was measured

Fig.9: Comparison of maximum principal strain ahead of crack tip (along the crack plane) as measured
by DIC system and as evaluated by FE analyses for CT having notch at weld centre line location of
similar metal weld.

Similarly, the measured strains have been compared with the strains as obtained from FE analyses
for DMW pipe category in Fig. 10 and Fig.11. For the case of DMW case strain contour and strain
variation matches reasonably. Some difference in DIC results and FE results may be attributed to
practical difficulties in modelling of CT specimen from DMW. DMW has large variation in tensile
properties across the weld but in FE analysis it is modelled as three distinct zones (weld, buttering
and base) only. Some error may also be attributed to error in crack tip location in FE mesh from
buttering and LAS interface. Ideally it was machined at 2mm from buttering and LAS interface
towards LAS, but during fatigue pre-cracking it slightly deviated toward the interface that were not
accounted in modelling.

8a) DIC system

8b) FE analysis

Fig. 10a: Strain contours for maximum principal strain as measured by DIC tecniques, 10b: as evaluated
using FE analysis for CT having notch at HAZ location of DMW.

Path on which stain field were measured

Fig.11 Comparison of maximum principal strain ahead of crack tip (along the crack plane) as measured
by DIC system and as evaluated by FE analyses for CT having notch at HAZ location of DMW.

Summary
From the above exercise it is found that DIC system has potential to measure the strain field on
surface of test specimen/component very accurately.
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