QUANTITATIVE FRACTOGRAPHY OF RUBBER BY IMAGE-PROCESSING TECHNIQUE

In this paper, an image processing technique to quantitatively analyze abraded, torn and fatigue failed surfaces is described. The image sur faces were represented in terms of a closed set of orthogonal polynomi als. The significant orthogonal effects were measured and combined to represent the local texture, called pronum. The frequency of occurrenc e of the pronums is the prospectrum, a global descriptor. Various stat istical parameters were calculated from the prospectrum and correlated to the ridge spacings on abraded surfaces. The statistical closeness between various textured surfaces was also quantified. Using the image processing technique, the laborious procedure involved for quantifica tion especially of irregular microfeatures has been shown to be overco me.