Vol. 12 No. 1 (2026)
Articles

First Results Using Digital Image Correlation for Deformation Field Measurements in Laboratory Tests on Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM)-strengthened Masonry Panels

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  • Gianluca Maracchini,
  • Gianluca Chiappini,
  • Jacopo Donnini,
  • Enrico Quagliarini,
  • Valeria Corinaldesi,
  • Stefano Lenci,
  • Francesco Monni
Gianluca Maracchini
Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, Università di Trento, Italy
Gianluca Chiappini
Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy
Jacopo Donnini
Department of Science and Engineering of Matter, Environment and Urban Planning (SIMAU), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
Enrico Quagliarini
Department of Civil and Building Engineering and Architecture (DICEA), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
Valeria Corinaldesi
Department of Science and Engineering of Matter, Environment and Urban Planning (SIMAU), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
Stefano Lenci
Department of Civil and Building Engineering and Architecture (DICEA), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
Francesco Monni
Department of Civil and Building Engineering and Architecture (DICEA), Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/tema-16902

Published 2026-01-29

Keywords

  • DIC,
  • TRM,
  • masonry,
  • laboratory test,
  • diagonal compression test,
  • shear modulus
    • ...More
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Copyright (c) 2026 TEMA Technologies Engineering Materials Architecture

Creative Commons License

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

Abstract

The Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique is a non-contact, full-field optical method and a non-destructive evaluation approach that enables the measurement of displacements and strain fields across an entire surface during experimental tests. This technique provides high-resolution data, enabling the measurement of global strain, the detection of localized strain concentrations and crack initiation, and monitoring the evolution of dominant damage mechanisms. DIC’s ability to capture both in-plane and out-of-plane displacements makes it a powerful tool for detailed structural assessment. This paper presents preliminary results on the application of the DIC technique during diagonal compression tests of 1.2 × 1.2 × 0.25 m³ unreinforced and strengthened clay brick masonry panels. The strengthening system consists of two Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM) layers applied on both wall sides and connected by helical stainless-steel connectors. Glass fiber bidirectional fabrics are used as TRM reinforcing meshes, embedded in a 30 mm thick lime-based mortar. A couple of CMOS cameras were used to apply the stereo-DIC algorithm and record the three-dimensional displacement field during test execution. The displacement field obtained through DIC has been compared and validated with that obtained through the more common analog Linear Variable Differential Transformers (LVDT). The comparison highlighted the benefits and weaknesses of the DIC technique.

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