Attenuation of the Shock Wave Produced in a Solid by a Flying Plate

Abstract

The attenuation of the plane shock wave produced in a solid by a flying plate of the same material is treated neglecting dissipative processes and effects of material rigidity. Explicit formulas for the position of the shock front and the shape of the pulse as functions of time are obtained by application of Friedrich's method. A numerical example for an aluminum target and projectile is presented to illustrate some of the features of the calculation, and an experiment is proposed to test the theory. The experiment should also allow a reasonably precise measurement of sound velocity immediately behind the shock front to be obtained. This possibility applies equally well to the case of target and projectile of different materials.