Material deformation estimation with Computer Vision methods

Civil engineers use during tests various mechanisms and tools to estimate deformation of structures and materials such as the strain gage, which measures superficial deformation in cylindrical or block pieces, thus registering dimensional changes. Sometimes such experiments cause the destruction of the sensor element, increasing their cost and industrial liter, proportionally to the number of tests. This paper proposes the use of Computer Vision Techniques to estimate deformation. The experimental setups uses a painted pattern on the sample and perform a deformation estimation by regions on the block. The results are promising, the proposed procedure is able to detect unit deformations of around 0.0025 mm a distance of 39 cm from the object.