DYNAMIC COMPRESSION-SHEAR LOADING WITH IN-MATERIAL INTERFEROMETRIC MEASUREMENTS

The present article introduces a new technique for window interferomet ry in the case of combined normal and shear wave motion. The method ca n, in principle, be used for micromechanical studies of damage and ine lasticity in a variety of materials. Preliminary tests conducted on br ittle materials indicate the feasibility of the technique and its adva ntages over other in-material measurements using embedded manganin gau ges or electromagnetic particle velocity gauges. An analysis of the in terferometric signals, incorporating variations in the index of refrac tion of the window material, is used in the interpretation of the velo city histories. The suitability of the technique in the study of dynam ic failure and material instabilities is presented. Furthermore, the u se of the in-material measurement technique in the design of pressure- shear recovery experiments is described. (C) 1996 American Institute o f Physics.