Strength of water under pulsed loading

Experiments were performed to study the strength of water under conditions of pulsed extension, which is typical of the interaction between a triangular compression pulse and a free surface. The tests were performed in a wide (40–1000 MPa) range of rariation in the amplitude of the compression pulse at deformation rates of 10$^4$–10$^5$ sec$^{-1}$. It is found that as the compression-pulse amplitude increases from 150 to 1050 MPa, the strength of water decreases from 46 to 22 MPa. The deformation rate was found to have little effect on the strength. The possibility of using the model of homogenous nucleation (formation of cavitation nuclei) to interpret the data obtained is discussed.