On the relation between particle velocity and shock wave speed for thermoelastic materials

Results of shock-wave experiments in solids often suggest a nearly-linear relation between the particle velocity behind the shock and the shock wave speed. The present note reconsiders the question of whether thermoelastic material models may be consistent with such observations. Emphasis is placed on the role played by the response of the material in severe compression, as distinguished from its response for small or moderate deformations. The details are illustrated for materials of Mie-Grüneisen type. Received 21 December 2001 / Accepted 22 April 2002 Published online 8 July 2002