Experimental Technique for Dynamic Fragmentation of Liquid-Driving Expanding Ring

Abstract

Expanding ring experiment is an important method for dynamic fragmentation of solid under 1D tensile loading. Based on the split Hokinson pressure bar (SHPB), a liquid-driving experimental technology was developed for conducting expanding ring tests. The loading fixture includes a hydraulic cylinder filled with water, which is pushed by a piston connected to the input bar. As the water is driven, it expands the metallic ring specimen in the radial direction. The approximately incompressible property of the water makes it possible to drive the specimen in very high radial velocity by low velocity movement of piston, according to the large sectional area ratio of the cylinder to specimen. Using liquid-driving expanding ring device, 1060 aluminum rings (ductile materials)/PMMA rings (brittle materials) were fragmented and the fragments were recovered. Impact deformation of free-flying fragments was avoided through the use of “sample soft-capture” technology. The fragmentation process was observable by high speed camera through modifying the driving direction of the water. From the observations of the fracture morphology and the residual internal cracks of the recovered fragments, it is concluded that the fracture of the rings is caused by the circumferential tensile stress.