Shear and adiabatic shear failures in an impulsively loaded fully clamped beam

An analytical model is proposed for studying the material failure in shear hinges which develop during the dynamic plastic response of beams under imp ulsive pressure loadings. The structural response outside a shear hinge is modelled using a rigid, perfectly plastic theory. However, within the shear hinge, strain hardening, strain rate and temperature effects are considere d in order to obtain the conditions for an adiabatic shearing failure. A cr itical impulsive: velocity is obtained for :Menkes and Opat's beam problem, which describes a transition from a transverse shear failure mode (Mode II I) to an adiabatic shear banding mode with increase of impulse. A similar p rocedure is used to examine circular plates and cylindrical shells, as well as mass impact problems. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.