Accuracy of digital image correlation system with telecentric lens for compression tests of wood

The digital image correlation (DIC) system is a powerful tool for measuring distributions of displacement and strain on the surface of a specimen. DIC systems are employed not only for homogeneous materials such as metals but also for heterogeneous materials such as wood. Although numerous validations of DIC system accuracy for metallic materials exist, the accuracy verification for wood, especially under multiaxial stress conditions, is less common. This study investigated the accuracy of a DIC system equipped with a bilateral telecentric lens on wood (Douglas fir). The accuracy verification in uniaxial stress fields was conducted through full compression testing, while verification in multiaxial stress fields was performed through partial compression testing. Additionally, compression tests on A6063 (aluminium alloy) were conducted to examine the differences in the DIC system accuracy between homogeneous and heterogeneous materials. The accuracy of the DIC system was assessed by comparing the results with those obtained from strain gauges. The results from the full compression tests indicate that the accuracy of axial strain measured by the DIC system was comparable for the specimens of A6063 and Douglas fir in the longitudinal (L) direction but was inferior for Douglas fir in the radial (R) direction. This is because the differences in the mechanical properties of earlywood and latewood produce high strain gradients. Furthermore, the differences in Young's modulus obtained from the DIC system and strain gauge for the specimens of A6063, Douglas fir (L), and Douglas fir (R) were - 1.23%, 2.26%, and - 12.5%, respectively. In the partial compression tests, the accuracy of strain components measured by the DIC system in the specimens of Douglas fir (R) was lower than that in A6063. In the partial compression tests, high strain gradients appear in multiple strain components, leading to a notable decrease in the accuracy of the DIC system compared to the full compression tests.