Dynamic tensile deformation and fracture of metal cylinders at high strain rates

An experimental study has been presented on the radial deformation of aluminium and copper cylinders of internal diameter 52 mm and wall thickness 1–7 mm, internally loaded with high explosives. High speed photography and flash radiography have been employed to record the distance–time (x–t) history of the cylinder wall, which has been found to expand under strain rates of 104–105 s−1. The rupture of the cylinder is identified by the leakage of detonation gases, through the cracks in the cylinder wall. Rupture strains of 70–160% have been found for commercially pure aluminium. For a fixed wall thickness, the rupture strain increases with the strain rate. However, when the cylinder wall thickness is changed, a maximum is observed in a graph showing the strain and strain rate relationship. Aluminium appears to follow the Ivanov rupture criteria. From the experimental data the macroscopic viscosity coefficient for aluminium has been found to be 0.55–0.87×103 Pa s. In the deformation of a copper cylinder the cracks initiate at strains of 30–60%, followed by rupture at very high strains up to 300%. The crack propagation velocity through the copper cylinder wall has been found to be 250–300 m/s. Recovered fragments show wall thinning by 50–60% and also exhibit shear fracture which dominates the radial fracture in high velocity deformation of the metal cylinder.