Development of the polymeric split Hopkinson bar technique

A compression version of the split Hopkinson bar with pressure bars and a striker, which are made of Plexiglas (a material with low density and velocity of sound) is developed. The technique is designed to determine stress–strain diagrams under high strain rates of highly deformable materials with low density and strength, such as plastics, foams, and rubbers. Dynamic stress–strain curves in compression for spheroplastic, foam plastic, and rubber are presented, which were obtained using the technique developed.