Digital image correlation (DIC) is used to monitor strain in a representative textile material and an historic tapestry. The validity of a ‘map function’ that allows 3D DIC displacement measurements to be obtained when the reference data are collected with a camera set‐up different from that of the deformed data is assessed. An experiment was devised to study the effects of DIC processing parameters (interrogation cell size and overlap) on strain measurements, and to investigate if the textile contains adequate contrast for DIC to operate. The study shows that the textile’s weave pattern can be used as the device for correlation. Long‐term tests for monitoring creep strain using DIC both in the laboratory and in situ are presented. The results show good correspondence between strain changes in the tapestry and relative humidity.

Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is used to extract non-contact full-field three-dimensional displacement and inplane strains from an historic tapestries. A DIC-based approach is devised that allows the effect of RH variations on a tapestry to be quantified. A historical tapestry has been monitored in a closely controlled environment and in the natural environment. The results revealed that very small variations in RH can have significant effects on strain. An automated long term monitoring approach has been devised to allow strain data to be extracted in real time from tapestries in remote locations. The results show that DIC provides better understanding of the effect of RH fluctuations on strain which will ultimately lead to more insight into the degradation process of historical tapestries. The paper demonstrates the potential for using DIC as a condition monitoring tool.