Critical measurements for validation of constitutive equations under shock and impact loading conditions

Abstract

Interpretation of the data often requires numerical simulations of the experiments and comparisons with the data. However, determination of an appropriate set of values for parameters in constitutive equations valid under shock and high strain rate loading remains one of the most difficult tasks for material model developers. Most researchers employ experimental data obtained under idealized stress/strain states in the model parameter calibration scheme. Since the dynamic response of materials is very complex, especially the failure response, the generality of the model parameters is highly questionable. For example, the fracturing of ceramic materials involves nucleation, propagation, and coalescence of microcracks under shock and impact. The dynamic deformation processes in ceramics include dynamic pore collapse, dislocation generation, twinning, and microcracking. When shocked above the Hugoniot elastic limit, the ceramic deformation becomes inelastic; therefore, the constitutive model formulation should consider modeling the effects of these various processes on the degradation of strength and stiffness of ceramic. This paper presents a brief summary of diagnostic measurements and modeling techniques associated with validation and verification of ceramic constitutive/damage models under high strain rate, shock, and penetration loading applications.