Yield strength and flow measurements of tungsten sinter alloys at very high strain rates

Long rods of various tungsten sinter alloys with a tungsten content higher than 90 % were instrumented with strain gauges and struck by a moving anvil at velocities between 100 m/s and 400 m/s. The strain-time history at different locations on the rod's surface was recorded by a 200 MHz transient recorder. The calculated yield stresses ranged at a level up to three times the static value, at a rate of 3000 1/s. In the plastic regime, the shape of the stress-strain curve remained unaffected by the strain rate, with a constant wave velocity for each strain level.