Conditions for development of cavitation in scleronomous media

An energy inequality that determines the conditions for development of cavitation in scleronomous media in the range from liquid (bitumens, paints, and gels) to solid (lead, aluminum, copper, etc.) plastic media is constructed upon pulse tension in terms of the viscoelastic–plastic model. A relation that allows one to determine the time of negative–pressure relaxation during the growth of cavitating pores in a medium is derived. With allowance for the previously obtained conditions for development of bubble cavitation in a relaxing field of negative pressure in shock wave–loaded liquids, this result allows one to separate a class of condensed media capable to cavitate under pulse loading.