Methods, systems, and computer readable media for utilizing digital replication to measure structural deformation

A system for utilizing digital replication to measure structural deformation, the system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• a memory element;
• and
• a volumetric deformation analysis engine (VDAE) that is stored in the memory element and when executed by the at least one processor is configured to:
• receive a first set of digitized spatial data of a measurement volume and a target symbol comprising a plurality of surface features present on an object surface, utilize the first set of digitized spatial data to generate a first digital replication of the measurement volume and the target symbol;
• receive a second set of digitized spatial data of a second measurement volume and the target symbol comprising the plurality of surface features present on the object surface,
• utilize the second set of digitized spatial data to generate a second digital replication of the second measurement volume and the target symbol;
• determine a first spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the first digital replication and subsequently establishing a first set of position vectors contained within the first digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the first digital replication;
• determine a second spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the second digital replication and subsequently establishing a second set of position vectors contained within the second digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the second digital replication;
• and
• compare the first and second sets of position vectors to determine relative displacements within the target symbol, wherein the relative displacements are used to determine tri-axial strain components exhibited in a small area of the object surface.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a first set of digitized spatial data of a measurement volume and a target symbol comprising a plurality of surface features present on an object surface;
• utilizing the first set of digitized spatial data to generate a first digital replication of the measurement volume and the target symbol;
• receiving a second set of digitized spatial data of a second measurement volume and the target symbol comprising the plurality of surface features present on the object surface;
• utilizing the second set of digitized spatial data to generate a second digital replication of the second measurement volume and the target symbol;
• determining a first spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the first digital replication and subsequently establishing a first set of position vectors contained within the first digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the first digital replication;
• determining a second spatial orientation of the target symbol utilizing positions of the plurality of surface features within a digital coordinate system corresponding to the second digital replication and subsequently establishing a second set of position vectors contained within the second digital replication, wherein endpoints of each of the position vectors are defined by the coordinate positioning of a pair of the surface features in the second digital replication;
• and
• comparing the first and second sets of position vectors to determine relative displacements within the target symbol, wherein the relative displacements are used to determine tri-axial strain components exhibited in a small area of the object surface.