Phase-shifting of correlation fringes created by image processing as an alternative to improve digital shearography

Abstract The adoption of digital speckle pattern shearing interferometry, or speckle shearography, is well known in many areas when one needs to measure micro-displacements in-plane and out of the plane in biological and non-biological objects; it is based on the Michelson's Interferometer with the use of a piezoelectric transducer (PZT) in order to provide the phase-shift of the fringes and then to improve the quality of the final image. The creation of the shifting images using a PZT, despite its widespread use, has some drawbacks or limitations, such as the cost of the apparatus, the difficulties in applying the same displacement in the mirror repeated times, and when the phase-shift cannot be used in dynamic object measurement. The aim of this work was to create digitally phase-shift images avoiding the mechanical adjustments of the PZT, testing them with the digital shearography method. The methodology was tested using a well-known object, a cantilever beam of aluminium under deformation. The results documented the ability to create the deformation map and curves with reliability and sensitivity, reducing the cost, and improving the robustness and also the accessibility of digital speckle pattern shearing interferometry.