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Digital Image Correlation Procedure to Characterize Soil Surface Layer Cracking

Dep. of Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX 79409-2122.

Richard E Zartman^*

Dep. of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX 79409-2122.

^* Corresponding author (zrich{at}ttacs.ttu.edu).

This study was conducted to characterize surface layer cracking in Vertisols by determining surface displacement trends. A disturbed sample from the Ap horizon of a Randall clay (fine, smectitic, thermic Ustic Epiaquerts) was evaluated. Digital image correlation (DIC) used to track the movement of points on the surface as the soil dried and to assess the development of soil surface cracking. Displacement fields among a group of images were obtained by using a cross-correlation algorithm. The displacement vectors resulting from the analysis of the displaced fields can be used to show cracking patterns on a ground-up soil sample from a Vertisol before they become visually apparent. Digital image correlation may be used to calculate the deformation of the surface layer with relatively high precision.

Received for publication August 18, 1997.