Particle Motion Tracking Utilizing a High-Resolution Digital CCD Camera
Paikowsky SG, Xi F
(Received 27 January 1998; accepted 5 August 1999)

Abstract
Digital imaging acquisition and processing is applied for the tracking of a two-dimensional assembly of disks. The disks are used to assemble models for studying granular material behavior for which the kinematics of the individual particles, and hence the disks' trajectory during motion, are of cardinal importance. Large particle size is dictated by photoelastic interparticle interaction analysis. Therefore, a sufficiently large representative number of particles results in a large physical model.
The system requirements of a sizable physical model comprised of a large number of particles, and simultaneous precise tracking of all particles, are achieved through the use of high-resolution digital CCD camera and semi-automatic image processing and analysis algorithms.
The physical system setup, image acquisition procedure, calibration, accuracy, and algorithms of analysis are described. The system's performance is demonstrated through test results describing the displacement field along with the motion and interaction of individual particles.
The system's advantages in providing detailed tracking of a large number of particles with minimal labor are unmatched by any other technique. The data obtained by such systems allow a better understanding of particulate media behavior with the ability to examine and calibrate numerical models on an individual grain basis.

Keywords:
CCD, geotechnical, granular material, image processsing, interface, particle, shear, tracking

Paper ID: GTJ23113

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Author Paikowsky SG, Xi F Title Particle Motion Tracking Utilizing a High-Resolution Digital CCD Camera Symposium , Committee on