A split Hopkinson bar technique for low-impedance materials

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.