Application of stereo vision to three-dimensional deformation analyses in fracture experiments

Based on a pinhole camera model, camera model equations that account for the radial lens distortion are used to map three-dimensional (3-D) world coordinates to two-dimensional (2-D) computer image coordinates. Using two cameras to form a stereo vision, the 3-D information can be obtained. It is demonstrated that such stereo imaging systems can be used to measure the 3-D displacement field around the crack tip of a fracture specimen. To compare with the available 2-D theory of fracture mechanics, the measured displacement fields expressed in the world coordinates are converted, through coordinate transformations, to the displacement fields expressed in specimen crack tip coordinates. By using a smoothing technique, the in-plane displacement components are smoothed and the total strains are obtained. Rigid body motion is eliminated from the smoothed in-plane displacement components and unsmoothed out-of-plane displacement. Compared with the theoretical elastic-plastic field at a crack tip, the results appear to be consistent with expected trends, which indicates that the stereo imaging system is a viable tool for the 3-D deformation analysis of fracture specimens.