FAST UPSETTING OF CIRCULAR-CYLINDERS OF ALUMINUM METAL-MATRIX COMPOSITES - EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND NUMERICAL-ANALYSIS

Cylindrical specimens of Al/Cu and Al/Li metal matrix composite (MMC) were subjected to dynamic compression at room temperature using an exp erimental drop hammer. Force-time and displacement-time traces were re corded. The experimental results are compared with theoretical results obtained using finite-difference analysis proposed in a previous pape r by the authors [1]. The computational results obtained for the force -time histories agree reasonably with the experimental observation. Ef fect of strain rate and thermal softening on the mechanical behaviour of Al/Cu MMC and Al/Li MMC were examined.