OPTIMAL IMAGE CORRELATION IN EXPERIMENTAL MECHANICS

The integration of optimization techniques for use in digital image correlation problems in experimental mechanics is discussed. Stereo sets of images of a speckle pattern on a loaded body are correlated using four types of optimization routines. The results obtained using the gradient-based first-order method and nongradient-based pattern search, simplex, and Powell's methods compare extremely well with the original experimental results. The effectiveness and accuracy of these different optimal image processing techniques have also been analyzed and found suitable for this example.