Impact and Shock Mechanics

Study of strain-rate dependent behaviour of materials has a long history at the University of Oxford, initiated by the first holder of the Chair of Engineering Science, Professor Jenkin and followed by Professors Campbell, Harding and Ruiz who set the conditions for the present Impact Engineering Team to develop as an integral part of the Solid Mechanics and Materials Engineering Group. Current research efforts led by Prof. Nik Petrinic, Prof. Clive Siviour, Dr. Daniel Eakins and Dr. Antonio Pellegrino are directed towards an integrated experimental-numerical approach to predictive modelling of strain-rate and temperature dependent response of solids to loading at different length scales. Their groups are world-leading in the design of bespoke experiments aimed at observation and quantification of pressure, temperature and rate-dependent deformation and failure mechanisms in a range of systems from natural materials, including live-tissue, to advanced, man-made engineering materials such as high-performance metallic super-alloys, composites, ceramics and hybrid cellular materials. They utilise a comprehensive array of loading platforms, from intermediate- to high-rate to hypervelocity impact systems, to collectively access dynamic conditions extending from a few MPa to 100s GPa. As well as designing new experiments for arbitrary combined thermomechanical loads, their teams also exploit the latest advances in optical and X-ray diagnostics to provide new opportunities for model validation, to ultimately enhance our understanding of the multi-scale, hierarchical nature of material response under dynamic loading.