The dynamic failure behavior of tungsten heavy alloys subjected to transverse loads

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorTaleff, Eric M.en
dc.contributor.advisorBless, Stephan J.en
dc.creatorTarcza, Kenneth Roberten
dc.date.accessioned2008-08-28T21:53:38Zen
dc.date.available2008-08-28T21:53:38Zen
dc.date.issued2004en
dc.descriptiontexten
dc.description.abstractTungsten heavy alloys (WHA), a category of particulate composites used in defense applications as kinetic energy penetrators, have been studied for many years. Even so, their dynamic failure behavior is not fully understood and cannot be predicted by numerical models presently in use. In this experimental investigation, a comprehensive understanding of the high-rate transverse-loading fracture behavior of WHA has been developed. Dynamic fracture events spanning a range of strain rates and loading conditions were created via mechanical testing and used to determine the influence of surface condition and microstructure on damage initiation, accumulation, and sample failure under different loading conditions. Using standard scanning electron microscopy metallographic and fractographic techniques, sample surface condition is shown to be extremely influential to the manner in which WHA fails, causing a fundamental change from externally to internally nucleated failures as surface condition is improved. Surface condition is characterized using electron microscopy and surface profilometry. Fracture surface analysis is conducted using electron microscopy, and viii linear elastic fracture mechanics is used to understand the influence of surface condition, specifically initial flaw size, on sample failure behavior. Loading conditions leading to failure are deduced from numerical modeling and experimental observation. The results highlight parameters and considerations critical to the understanding of dynamic WHA fracture and the development of dynamic WHA failure models.
dc.description.departmentMechanical Engineeringen
dc.format.mediumelectronicen
dc.identifierb59058717en
dc.identifier.oclc57663417en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2152/1268en
dc.language.isoengen
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.en
dc.subject.lcshTungsten alloysen
dc.subject.lcshMetals--Fractureen
dc.subject.lcshFracture mechanicsen
dc.subject.lcshStrains and stressesen
dc.titleThe dynamic failure behavior of tungsten heavy alloys subjected to transverse loadsen
dc.type.genreThesisen

Files

Collections

University of Texas at Austin