Deformation Measurements During Seismic Loading of Masonry Buildings

ABSTRACT

This article demonstrates the potential of the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) method to provide accurate full-field deformation measurements and successfully monitor the development of damage during seismic excitation of partially grouted reinforced masonry buildings. Several earthquake load profiles were produced at the Large High-Performance Outdoor Shake Table at the University of California San Diego. Using high frame rate cameras, the DIC setup was capable to measure surface deformations of the building while being at a distance of greater than 50 feet away. The accuracy of the measurements was assessed by comparison to data obtained by mounted displacement sensors. The evaluation of the recorded full field deformation data showed that the onset of damage is associated with the appearance of distinct strain localization patterns, which could be tracked earlier compared to results obtained using either the displacement sensor data or by post-mortem visual inspection. The research findings reported herein demonstrate, for the first time, to the author’s best knowledge, the potential of in situ monitoring of actual structures under non-stationary loading profiles using optical metrology.