A New Methodology for Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Materials at Very High Rates of Loading

This paper focuses on the development of a straight forward and inexpensive testing machine, and methodology for the characterization of materials in working conditions similar to those found in metal cutting. Special emphasis is given to the material rate dependence and to the assessing of the proposed methodology against conventional testing at very high rates of loading. The experimental results have demonstrated that rate-dependent hardness can be used to estimate flow stress at high rates of loading and that contact phenomena become even more prominent for severe monotonic deformation.