Shock Physics

Center for Fracture Physics has performed many studies of stress wave and shock wave propagation in solids, liquids, gases, and mixtures. These studies include measurements of equations of state using gas-gun planar impact experiments and measurements of flow and attenuation in shock-tube experiments. Recent applications include studies of damage to aerospace composite materials from radiation-induced shock waves, propagation and attenuation of three-dimensional stress pulses from underwater explosions, and measurement and discrimination of seismic waves emanating from earthquakes and from underground explosions.

In the area of penetration mechanics, we have studied penetration of concrete, rock, soil, ceramic armor, metal armor, and aerospace military targets, typically combining experimental and computational efforts. Examples are the penetration of reinforced concrete walls by turbine hub fragments, the effectiveness of boulder overlays in stopping penetrating bombs, design of bomb casings to enhance penetrability into hard targets, long-rod penetrators attacking advanced armor packages, and hypervelocity impacts of pellets onto nuclear weapon delivery systems.

In our fracture and fragmentation program, experiments, theory, and computations have been closely linked to develop microstatistical fracture mechanics models that treats the micromechanics of the fracture process. The nucleation, growth and coalescence of voids, cracks, and shear bands is predicted under dynamic and static loads, and fragmentation is thus predicted in a natural way. The microstatistical treatment also connects the failure behavior of a material with microstructure. Our experience covers a wide range of materials (metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and rocks) and a wide range of problems, involving nuclear power plants, battle tank armors, bridges, missiles, earth structures, and others.

Center for Fracture Physics maintains a wide variety of laboratory facilities for shock physics research including light gas guns and a remote test site.

Contact Us
Don Shockey
Director, Center for Fracture Physics
Phone: 650-859-2587
Email: donald.shockey@sri.com