Dynamic Behavior of Materials

The Impact Physics group is able to generate material property data from quasi-static to strain rates approaching 5,000/sec. Split Hopkinson bars are used to determine compressive, tensile, or shear stress-strain behavior of both metallic alloys and nonmetallic materials including ceramics, glass , plastics, foam, and concrete. Shock wave phenomena are studied using flyer plate and Taylor impact experiments. These experiments have enabled researchers to develop constitutive models and Hugoniot Elastic Limit (HEL) curves. Testing can be performed over a wide range of temperatures.

Stress-strain curves for titanium at various strain rates.