Dynamic Plastic Response of Aluminum at Temperatures Approaching Melt

This study uses the pressure-shear plate impact configuration to investigate the rate-controlling mechanisms of the dynamic plastic response of aluminum at strain rates of approximately 10^sup 6^ s^sup -1^ and at temperatures that approach melt. To achieve this combination of high strain rates and high temperatures, pressure-shear plate impact experiments are being conducted with modifications introduced by Frutschy[1] to enable the experiments to be conducted at high temperatures. So far, the shearing resistance has been measured at temperatures up to 906 K (632 °C), which is 81 pct of the melting temperature at the concurrent pressure. Several approaches are being explored to obtain even higher fractions of the melting temperature, possibly exceeding it. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]