APPLICATION OF DIC METHOD FOR DETERMINING STRESS-STRAIN STATE OF FLEXIBLE REINFORCED CONCRETE SLABS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31650/2786-6696-2026-16-29-39Keywords:
reinforced concrete slab, DIC method, digital image correlation, stress-strain state, experimental research, deflections, strains crack formation.Abstract
The article is devoted to the application of the Digital Image Correlation DIC method for experimental determination of the stress-strain state of reinforced concrete slabs. Assessment of the bearing capacity and deformability of reinforced concrete structures is an important task in the design and operation of buildings and structures especially when strengthening existing structures is necessary. Traditional strain measurement methods using strain gauges and deflectometers provide point measurements which do not allow obtaining a complete picture of strain distribution over the entire surface of an element.
The aim of the research was experimental determination of the stress-strain state of reinforced concrete slabs using the DIC method to assess their behavior before strengthening. A control specimen of a reinforced concrete slab with dimensions 2000×590×50 mm was manufactured from C30/40 concrete with 6Ø8 A500C reinforcement reinforcement ratio ρ=1.65%. Holes with diameter 110 mm were made in the slab for future beam strengthening. A speckle pattern was applied to the end surface for DIC tracking.
The tests were carried out on a UTEST hydraulic press according to a four-point bending scheme with working span L=1900 mm. A stereo DIC system with two digital cameras and Vic-3D software was used to record strains. Data from the DIC system were synchronized with load indicators.
Complete load-deflection and load-strain diagrams were obtained. Characteristic points crack formation at P=2.4 kN f=14 mm yielding at P=8.6 kN f=66 mm ε=2.5‰ maximum P=9.81 kN at f=114 mm. Maximum tensile reinforcement straиi ns reached 9.85‰ which is 4 times higher than the yield limit. The DIC method provided visualization of strain fields and accurate recording of crack formation.
The research results confirmed the high efficiency of the DIC method for comprehensive assessment of the stress-strain state of reinforced concrete slabs. The obtained experimental data will serve as a basis for comparison with the results of testing strengthened slabs.
References
[1] M. Yussof, D. Silalahi, P. Chen, Y. Cheng, and H. Aoude, "A Digital Image Correlation Technique for Laboratory Structural Tests and Applications: A Systematic Literature Review", Sensors, vol. 23, no. 23, p. 9362, 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23239362.
[2] W. Kaufmann, A. Beck, and D. Karagiannis, Digital Image Correlation for Concrete Structures and Bridge Design, Zurich: ETH Zurich, 2023.
[3] M. A. Sutton, J. J. Orteu, and H. W. Schreier, Image Correlation for Shape, Motion and Deformation Measurements, Boston: Springer, 2009.
[4] B. Gencturk, K. Hossain, A. Kapadia, E. Labib, and Y-L. Mo, "Use of Digital Image Correlation Technique in Full-scale Testing of Prestressed Concrete Structures", Measurement, vol. 47, pp. 505–515, 2014.
[5] T. M. Fayyad and J. M. Lees, "Application of Digital Image Correlation to Reinforced Concrete Fracture", Procedia Materials Science, vol. 3, pp. 1585–1590, 2014.
[6] V. Adam, M. Herbrand, D. Kueres, and J. Hegger, "One-way flexural shear tests on wide reinforced concrete slab segments", Structural Concrete, vol. 24, pp. 2479–2498, 2023.
[7] Ya. Blikharskyi, "Zalyshkovyi resurs zalizobetonnykh konstruktsii z poshkodzhenniamy termichno-zmitsnenoi armatury". dis. d-ra tekhn. nauk, Natsionalnyi universytet «Lvivska politekhnika». Lviv, 2021.
[8] S. Choi and S. P. Shah, "Measurement of deformations on concrete subjected to compression using image correlation", Experimental Mechanics, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 307–313, 1997.
[9] J. F. Destrebecq, E. Toussaint, and E. Ferrier, "Analysis of cracks and deformations in a full scale reinforced concrete beam using DIC", Experimental Mechanics, vol. 51, pp. 879–890, 2011.
[10] B. Pan, K. Qian, H. Xie, and A. Asundi, "Two-dimensional digital image correlation for in-plane displacement and strain measurement: a review", Measurement Science and Technology, vol. 20, p. 062001, 2009.
[11] D. Corr, M. Accardi, L. Graham-Brady, and S. Shah, "Digital image correlation analysis of interfacial debonding properties", Engineering Fracture Mechanics, vol. 74, pp. 109–121, 2007.
[12] O. Vytak, T. Bobalo, "Napruzhennia zalizobetonnykh plyt, pidsilenykh vvedenniam dodatkovykh zalizobetonnykh balok", Journal of Theory and Building Practice, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 45–52, 2025.
[13] DBN V.2.6-98:2009. Konstruktsii budynkiv i sporud. Betonni ta zalizobetonni konstruktsii. Kyiv: Minrehionbud Ukrainy, 2011.
[14] N. Gehri, J. Mata-Falcón, and W. Kaufmann, "Automated crack detection based on digital image correlation", Construction and Building Materials, vol. 256, p. 119383, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.119383.
[15] W. Zhang, X. Liu, Y. Huang, and M. Tong, "Reliability-based analysis of flexural strength of concrete beams reinforced with hybrid BFRP and steel rebars", Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, vol. 22, p. 171, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43452-022-00493-7.
[16] A. Skar, M. Pahn, S. M. Strand et al., "Digital Image Correlation in Structural Health Monitoring", Sensors, vol. 23, p. 5022, 2023.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 MODERN CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECTURE

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.





