Compressive behaviors of alumina: Experiment and modeling

Mechanical behaviors and failure characteristics of alumina are investigated by plate impact experiments under shock waves. Stress histories are measured by using in-material manganin gauges. A velocity interferometer system for reflectors (VISAR) is used to obtain velocity profile of the particle free surface, which consists of an elastic wave followed immediately by a dispersive inelastic wave. The nonlinear dynamic responses are analyzed. A constitutive model for the alumina subjected to biaxial compressive loading is developed. The model takes non-interacting sliding micro-cracks into account. The stress-strain curves predicted by the model are in good agreement with experimental results. Dynamic fracture behaviors of alumina target under impact loading are investigated numerically. Analyzing the fracture mechanism and damage process of the alumina target shows that the nucleation and growth of various cracks play a dominant role in the fracture behavior of the alumina target.