Issue 33

M. Mokhtari et alii, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 33 (2015) 143-150; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.33.18 144 techniques such as Moiré interferometry, photoelasticity and thermoelasticity [4-8]. Experimentally, DIC measurement accuracy can be affected by several factors, such as sub-pixel optimization algorithm, subset size, image quality, etc.[4]. It should be noted here that “subset” refers to an area in the image in which the displacement between images is tracking. Some of the errors introduced by DIC measurements have been estimated by researchers. For example, Fazzini et al. [9] have studied the errors caused by different bit depths of the image, image saturation in respect with subset size, speckle pattern and subset shape function on synthetic images. They found that decreasing the encoding of the images and overexpose of the speckle deteriorate the measurements by a factor of 2 and 10 respectively. In addition, systematic errors due to intensity interpolation, under-matched subset shape function and over-matched subset shape functions have been calculated by Shreier et al. [10, 11] and Yu et al. [12] respectively. Since the initial works on DIC, algorithms for displacement and strain measurement have been improved and so have the different methods for estimating SIF from DIC data. Most works estimate SIF by fitting numerical functions (such as Westergaard’s, Willialms’ or Muskhilishvili’s series developements) to experimental data [8, 13-15]. Earlier works developed in 1980s used a least-square error analysis procedure in order to estimate the SIF [1, 16]. Subsequently SIF were estimated for fatigue cracks grown in steel by introducing an enriched crack kinematics in cyclic fatigue based on conventional and integrated DIC techniques [17]. Later, a similar methodology was used to evaluate mixed-mode SIF on a crack emanating form a fastener hole [18]. In addition, other more comprehensive models have been proposed to account driving and retarding forces on the crack-tip [19]. Vanladuit et al. [20] introduced a post-processing method for measuring the crack length, crack tip position and stress intensity factors automatically from displacement field. They have validated their methodology by performing a fatigue crack propagation test on an aluminum U-profile. However, it is well known that there is a small region quite close to crack tip, called K-dominance zone, where stress field can be effectively described by stress intensity factor merely. Beyond this annular region, to characterize the crack tip field, the higher order terms (non-singular part of stress field) must be considered. Sun et al. [17], has evaluated the size of K-dominance for a plexiglass. They considered not only the singular but also the nonsingular part of stress fields in order to predict the fracture of the material precisely. In spite of all these efforts for optimizing DIC and related post processing procedures, it seems that the effect of the size of the DIC image fitted to the analytical model has been neglected. In optic literature, the size of the DIC image is studied through the field of view (FOV) and is defined as the angular extent for a given scene imaged by a camera [21]. Since the FOV determines the number and position of data points for a constant subset size, the FOV must be taken into consideration as key parameter for SIF evaluation from DIC data. Finally, the the K-dominance zone has been studied experimentally with the help of higher orders in Williams’ series. M ATERIALS AND METHODS xperiments were conducted on a 2024-T351 aluminum plate. This was machined to obtain a CT specimen according to ASTM E-647 standards [22]. Fig. 1 illustrates the specimen geometry and dimensions. The mechanical properties of the material are summarised in Tab. 1. The sample surface was scratched by abrasive 240, 380 and 800 grit SiC grinding paper to achieve the a random grey intensity distribution required by DIC technique. Cyclic loading was applied with a 100kN Instron servo-hydraulic testing machine. The specimen was fatigue pre-cracked under mode I at a frequency of 10 Hz, load ratio (R) 0.1 and constant stress intensity range (K min /K max ) of 10.1 MPa√m. After 980,000 cycles the measured crack length was 28.6 mm (a/W = 0.57). An 8-bit 2452×2052 pixels CCD camera coupled with Navitar lens with magnification ranging from 7X to 0.35X and a ring light illumination was used to take images for DIC (Fig. 2). Higher magnification images were acquired with a Questar QM-100 lens (magnification of 9X). In order to achieve larger field of view, macro images were also taken using a macro lens 0.25X. A Questar 3-axis stage was also used to mount and adjust the camera position precisely. The different lenses combinations were used to obtain FOVs ranging from 0.5×0.5 mm 2 to 20×20 mm 2 . In order to acquire sufficient number of images, the loading rate was reduced to 0.1 Hz while capturing the images. Young modulus Yield Stress UTS Elongation Brinell Hardness 73 GPa 325 MPa 470 MPa 20% 137 Table 1 : Mechanical properties of 2024-T351 aluminium alloy. E