Assessment of deformation during consolidation using digital image analysis

The measurement systems based on digital image analysis have been widely attempted in geotechnical testings (e.g., physical model tests) for observing the deformation of soils. The accuracy of digital image analysis is influenced by various factors such as image pattern of test materials, performance of digital camera, target area, and analysis conditions. Therefore, optimal analysis conditions should be determined and applied to obtain high quality results on soil deformations. In this study, various influence factors of the accuracy of digital image analysis and the optimizing procedure were described. Finally, the digital image analysis was adopted to evaluate the deformation during lateral drainage consolidation under the given optimal condition.