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Using optical full-field measurement based on digital image correlation to measure strain on a tree subjected to mechanical load

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Abstract

Key message

The results indicate the usability of DIC technique in tree biomechanics is advantageous compared to standard procedure since it reveals the induced strain in full-field way, accurately and noninvasively.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to analyze and measure the displacement and strain response behavior of the tree (Juglans regia L.) subjected to a mechanical load. The analysis addresses issues of tree biomechanics that call for a high-quality deformation data measured on trees’ surfaces in a noninvasive way. For these purposes, the 3D digital image correlation (3D-DIC) was proposed and tested against standard extensometers. The measured tree was subjected to a bending by a pulling test to induce strain on the tree stem. The DIC technique successfully provided strain field on a tree bark despite its highly complicated geometry. Vertical averaging of the strain field obtained by the DIC revealed that a tree stem behaves according to beam theory exhibiting compression and tension parts. The absolute values of strain measured by both techniques agree with each other in order of magnitude, DIC returning lower values (approximately 21.1 and 40.8 % for compression and tension part, respectively). The results reveal necessity for future study of stress/strain transfer from xylem to bark. The sensitivity analysis shows that the computed strain highly depends on subset size used in the DIC computation. Based on the projection error and strain, the optimal subset size was found out to be between 21 and 31 pixels. The measurement proved that the DIC method can be successfully used in tree biomechanics. In general, our results and the character of DIC technique that allows testing at different scales depending on imaging methods indicate its big potential in plant biomechanics.

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Abbreviations

DIC:

Digital image correlation

EL1, EL2, EL3:

Extensometers one to three

FEA:

Finite element analysis

FEM:

Finite element method

LED:

Light-emitting diode

LVDT:

Linear variable displacement transducers

PE:

Projection error

PIV:

Particle image velocimetry

DVC:

Digital volume correlation

VTA:

Visual tree assessment

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Author contribution statement

Václav Sebera was responsible for DIC technique (experimental setup), data processing and manuscript preparation; Luděk Praus was responsible for data acquisition from extensometers, inclinometers and all data synchronization; Jan Tippner was responsible for the pulling test procedure and data evaluation; Jan Čepela was responsible for the stem preparation (pattern, lights etc.), and numerical post-processing of images; Jiří Kunecký was responsible for processing of data from DIC in Matlab; Rupert Wimmer was responsible for the work flow of the experiment and manuscript preparation.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank to Grant No. 39/2012 provided by Mendel University in Brno and the European Social Fund and the state budget of the Czech Republic, project “The Establishment of an International Research Team for the Development of New Wood-based Materials” reg. no. CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0269 (EE2.3.20.0269) and Oldřich Morys for his creativity.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Václav Sebera, Luděk Praus, Jan Tippner & Rupert Wimmer

  2. Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics AS CR, Prosecká 76, 190 00, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jiří Kunecký

  3. Sobriety Ltd, Náměstí 1. května 63, 664 34, Kuřim, Czech Republic

    Jan Čepela

Authors
  1. Václav Sebera
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  2. Luděk Praus
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  3. Jan Tippner
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  4. Jiří Kunecký
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  5. Jan Čepela
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  6. Rupert Wimmer
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Correspondence to Václav Sebera.

Additional information

Communicated by T. Fourcaud.

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Sebera, V., Praus, L., Tippner, J. et al. Using optical full-field measurement based on digital image correlation to measure strain on a tree subjected to mechanical load. Trees 28, 1173–1184 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-014-1028-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-014-1028-8

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