A Review on Digital Image Correlation in Experimental Geotechnics

Digital image correlation (DIC) is a non-contact-based, full-field measurement, cost-effective, and efficient image-based deformation measurement technique used in various disciplines of civil engineering for the quantification of displacements and strains. DIC is used to measure the displacements in soil and to evaluate the evolution of failure zone in experimental geotechnics. The different seeding methods, type of camera, type of sensor used in the camera, image capturing and processing, and artificial lighting are important aspects of a DIC analysis. In this paper, the background on the use of DIC for experimental geotechnics, the above-mentioned aspects of DIC, and applications of DIC in various areas of geotechnical engineering are reviewed and discussed. The measurement of displacement fields, failure zones, and large deformations using DIC technique is also highlighted in this review. The use of the DIC technique in experimental geotechnics is critically reviewed along with a framework, its drawbacks, and prospective applications in future. It is crucial to estimate the exact soil displacement for the accomplishment of geotechnical modelling; hence, DIC technique can play an important role due to its simple approach and practicality. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Indian Geotechnical Society 2023.