Tensile and compressive properties of wrought magnesium alloys at high rates of strain

Abstract
Impact tensile and compressive properties of three different wrought magnesium alloys (AZ31B-F, AZ61A-F and ZK60A-T5) are determined using two different versions of the split Hopkinson bar. Tension and compression specimens are machined from extruded bars parallel to the extrusion axis. Tensile and compressive stress-strain data at strain rates of 1000-2000/s are presented and compared with those at quasi-static and medium strain rates obtained on an Instron 4505 testing machine. The effects of strain rate and loading mode on the ultimate strength, ultimate strain and absorbed energy are examined in details. It is shown that the wrought magnesium alloys exhibit a pronounced asymmetric yield behavior in tension and compression at both low and high rates of strain. It is also shown that the ultimate strengths increase with increasing strain rate, and the strain rate dependence of the ultimate strain and absorbed energy differs, depending the wrought magnesium alloys tested.