Application of a dynamic-mixture shock-wave model to the metal–matrix composite materials

► Propagation of shocks within metal matrix composites is analyzed computationally. ► A dynamic mixture model is employed to account for the composite material behavior. ► The approach is applied to SiC-reinforced aluminum-matrix composites. ► The results are in reasonably good agreement with their experimental counterparts. The so-called “ dynamic mixture” model is applied to a prototypical metal matrix composite (MMC) system (consisting of an aluminum matrix and SiC particulates) in order to investigate the propagation of planar (i.e. one directional), longitudinal (i.e. uniaxial strain), steady (i.e. time-invariant) structured shock waves. Waves of this type are typically generated during blast-wave loading or ballistic impact and play a major role in the way blast/ballistic impact loads are introduced into a structure. Hence, the knowledge of their propagation behavior is critical for designing structures with superior blast and impact protection capacities. To validate the computational procedure used, the structured shock-wave analysis is first applied to a homogeneous (i.e. single component) metallic system (commercially pure niobium). Next, the analysis is applied to the aforementioned MMC (in the limit of intermediate to strong shocks) when the contribution of the stress deviator to the total stress state can be neglected. Finally, the computational results are compared with their experimental counterparts available in the open literature in order to validate the dynamic-mixture method used.