Experimental and numerical studies on pulse shaping techniques used in split Hopkinson pressure bar for testing concrete material

Abstract

Split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) is commonly used to characterise materials under high strain rates. However, conventional SHPB tests on brittle materials have encountered several experimental challenges for high strain rate loading. In relatively brittle materials like concrete, the deformation of the specimen is very small when subjected to impact loading; hence, it is very difficult to obtain the prerequisites of valid SHPB tests such as dynamic equilibrium and constant strain rate in the specimen. To overcome these issues, the current study presents the importance of the pulse shaper approach in SHPB application for the dynamic characterisation of concrete material. Selection of the appropriate dimension of pulse shaper assists in facilitating dynamic stress equilibrium and constant strain rate in the specimen. In the present study, copper pulse shapers are used for the evaluation of concrete under high strain rate loading using an SHPB set-up. Parameters such as the effect of dimensions (diameter and thickness) of pulse shapers on loading pulses, dynamic equilibrium, constant strain rate and material responses are studied. Experimental results reveal the prediction of suitable pulse shapers for 50–200/s strain rates. In addition, numerical simulation is also performed and results are validated with the experimental data.