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Drone-Based StereoDIC: System Development, Experimental Validation and Infrastructure Application

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Abstract

Background

Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is widely used for remote and non-destructive structural health evaluation of infrastructure. Current DIC applications are limited to relatively small areas of structures and require the use of stationary stereo vision camera systems that are not easy to transfer and deploy in remote areas.

Objective

The enclosed work describes the development and validation of an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS, commonly known as drone) with an onboard stereo-vision system capable of acquiring, storing and transmitting images for analysis to obtain full-field, three-dimensional displacement and strain measurements.

Methods

The UAS equipped with a StereoDIC system has been developed and tested in the lab. The drone system, named DroneDIC, autonomously hovers in front of a prestressed railroad tie under pressure and DIC data are collected. A stationary DIC system is used in parallel to collect data for the railroad tie. We compare the data to validate the readings from the DroneDIC system.

Results

We present the analysis of the results obtained by both systems. Our study shows that the results we obtain from the DroneDIC system are similar to the ones gathered from the stationary DIC system.

Conclusions

This work serves as a proof of concept for the successful integration of DIC and drone technologies into the DroneDIC system. DroneDIC combines the high accuracy inspection capabilities of traditional stationary DIC systems with the mobility offered by drone platforms. This is a major step towards autonomous DIC inspection in portions of a structure where access is difficult via conventional methods.

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Notes

  1. DJI Matrice 100 https://www.dji.com/matrice100

  2. OptiTrack Motion Capture System, https://optitrack.com/

  3. VIC-Snap image acquisition software, Correlated Solutions Incorporated www.correlatedsolutions.com

  4. VIC-3D, Correlated Solutions Incorporated, www.correlatedsolutions.com

  5. MTS Systems Corporation, www.mts.com

  6. Image averaging is possible in this application since there is minimal additional displacement of the pre-stressed concrete beam specimen while the load is held constant.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Farzana Yasmeen, Ellie Chao, Rafal Anay, and Russel Inglett for their help in the preparation of the laboratory test setup and evaluation of the StereoDIC images.

Funding

This work was funded by the University of South Carolina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 300 Main St, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA

    M. Kalaitzakis, N. Vitzilaios & M. A. Sutton

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Carolina, 300 Main St, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA

    D. C. Rizos

Authors
  1. M. Kalaitzakis
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  2. N. Vitzilaios
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  3. D. C. Rizos
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  4. M. A. Sutton
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Correspondence to N. Vitzilaios.

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Kalaitzakis, M., Vitzilaios, N., Rizos, D.C. et al. Drone-Based StereoDIC: System Development, Experimental Validation and Infrastructure Application. Exp Mech 61, 981–996 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-021-00710-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-021-00710-z

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