J. Phys. IV France 112 (2003) 167
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:2003857

Dynamics of impact-induced phase transition fronts

A. Berezovski¹ and G.A. Maugin<sup>2

1</sup>  Institute of Cybernetics at Tallinn Technical University, Department of Mechanics and Applied Mathematics, Akadeemia Tee 21, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia
²  laboratoire de Modélisation en Mécanique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, UMR 7607, Tour 66, 4 place Jussieu, Case 162, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France

Abstract
Most experiments in martensitic phase transformations are performed under quasi-static loading of a specimen. The only well-documented experimental investigation concerning the impact-induced austenite-martensite phase transformations was given by Escobar and Clifton ([1], [2]). As Escobar and Clifton noted, measured velocity profiles provide a différence between the particle velocity and the transverse component of the projectile velocity. This velocity difference, in the absence of any evidence of plastic déformation; is indicative of a stress induced phase transformation that propagates into the crystals from the impact face. We develop a thermomechanical approach to the modeling of phase-transition front propagation based on the balance laws of continuum mechanics in the reference configuration [3] and the thermodynamics of discrete systems [4]. It is shown that the developed model captures the experimentally observed particle velocity difference.

© EDP Sciences 2003