Application of multi-camera digital image correlation in the stability study of the long timber column with the circular cross-section under axial compression

Displacement meter synthesis (DMS), as a traditional method, is widely used to capture the local deformation of a specimen. However, for axis-symmetrical circular columns, the axial compression instability cannot be accurately evaluated using the DMS method due to the uncertain bending direction. To address this problem, a 360° full-surface digital image correlation (DIC) system composed of eight cameras is proposed to capture the full-field deformation information of the column surfaces under axial compression. The objective of this study was to experimentally validate the efficiency of the proposed novel measurement in tracking the full-filled compressive deformation of a long wooden column with the circular cross-section. The test results showed that the columns experience instable failure. The multi-camera DIC system can completely reconstruct the three-dimensional shape of the circular column and obtain the whole process deformation state at any position on the surface of the timber column. The DIC method also can capture the uncertain lateral deformation direction and obtain the data of lateral deflection at the mid-span of timber columns. The multi-camera DIC provides an intuitive and comprehensive new test method for the test and analysis of the stability of axisymmetric long timber columns.