Shear strength of a shock-compressed aluminum composite

Results of an experimental study of the shear strength of an aluminum composite (Al+20% SiC) at shock wave pressures ranging between 2.3 and 22 GPa are presented. The technique of direct monitoring the principal stress components with the aid of wire manganin gauges was used. Dynamic yield flow limit defined as a difference between the principal stress components, characterizing the shear material strength, and controlling shock Hugoniot deviation from the quasi-hydrostatic compression curve, is shown to be nearly constant for the aluminum composite and equal to 0.24 GPa.