Using split Hopkinson pressure bars to perform large strain compression tests on polyurea at low, intermediate and high strain rates

The strain rate sensitivity of polyurea is characterized using a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) system. The device is composed of a hydraulic piston along with nylon input and output bars. In combination with an advanced wave deconvolution method, the modified SHPB system provides an unlimited measurement time and thus can be used to perform experiments at low, intermediate and high strain rates. A series of compression tests of polyurea is performed using the modified SHPB system. In addition, conventional SHPB systems as well as a universal hydraulic testing machine are employed to confirm the validity of the modified SHBP technique at low and high strain rates. The analysis of the data at intermediate strain rates shows that the strain rate is not constant due to multiple wave reflections within the input and output bars. It is demonstrated that intermediate strain rate SHPB experiments require either very long bars (>20 m) or very short bars (<0.5 m) in order to achieve an approximately constant strain rate throughout the entire experiment.