Transition of shock-loaded metals to a structurally unstable state

The transition of M3 copper to a structurally unstable state was studied in a series of experiments with shock loading under uniaxial deformation conditions. The threshold strain rate was determined at which the motion of the structurally unstable material reaches an equilibrium regime of energy exchange between the mesoscale and the macroscale – the so-called Kolmogorov statistical equilibrium regime. The notions of the representative volume and elementary pulse of energy exchange between the mesoscale and macroscale are introduced. Visualization conditions of localized-shear bands and rotation structures are found by optical, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy.