Shock and High Strain Rate Modelling

In 1971, Hockey [1] reported direct evidence of plastic deformations in both single and polycrystalline alumina ceramic due to microindentation at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies revealed high densities of dislocations and mechanical twinning at the surface of the indented specimens. Shockey et al. [2] observed evidence of networks (or systems) of micro-cracking in laterally confined ceramic targets recovered from ballistic impact. Merala et al. [3] conducted micro-structural investigations to evaluate microdefects in three different ceramics under extremely high pressures, reporting the nucleation of a significant amount of dislocations, micropores, and micro-cracking in the shocked samples.