Interrupted Test of Advanced High Strength Steel with Tensile Split Hopkinson Bar Method

The phase fraction evolution in a material during quasi-static and dynamic tests can be studied by interrupting the test at predetermined elongation values. While it is straightforward to interrupt quasi-static tests at a predetermined level of elongation, this interruption presents difficulties at high strain rate conditions. In the present paper, an interruption mechanism has been developed to control the elongation of specimens at high strain rate using a modified split Hopkinson tensile bar. This interruption mechanism is based on the interaction between the test specimen and the external interruption device. The influence of the designed external device on the stress waves and also the ability of the system to support the interruption of the deformation process were considered in the numerical analysis and verified by the experimental results. Finally, the influences of strain and strain rates on the volume fraction evolution of the retained austenite in quenched & partitioned steel were reported.