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A split Hopkinson bar technique for low-impedance materials

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Abstract

An experimental technique that modifies the conventional split Hopkinson pressure bar has been developed for measuring the compressive stress-strain responses of materials with low mechanical impedance and low compressive strengths such as elastomers at high strain rates. A high-strength aluminum alloy was used for the bar materials instead of steel, and the transmission bar was hollow. The lower Young's modulus of the aluminum alloy and the smaller cross-sectional area of the hollow bar increased the amplitude of the transmitted strain signal by an order of magnitude as compared to a conventional steel bar. In addition, a pulse shaper lengthened the rise time of the incident pulse to ensure stress equilibrium and homogeneous deformation in the low-impedance specimen. Experimental results show that the high strain rate, compressive stress-strain behavior of an elastomeric material can be determined accurately and reliably using this technique.

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Chen, W., Zhang, B. & Forrestal, M.J. A split Hopkinson bar technique for low-impedance materials. Experimental Mechanics 39, 81–85 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02331109

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02331109

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