High-temperature tests on aluminium in a split-Hopkinson bar – experimental set-up and numerical predictions

Abstract
This paper presents the experimental set-up for high strain-rate tests at elevated temperatures in a split-Hopkinson tension bar. A high current was sent through the specimen, whereby direct resistance heating increased the temperature in the material to 300C within a few seconds. Such a fast increase reduces the heat transfer to the bars and is thus a considerable benefit of the applied method. Another advantage is that the specimen is optical visible. Using test specimens made of the aluminium alloy AA6005-T6, the possible influence of the heating equipment on the response was investigated both experimentally and numerically by means of the non-linear FEM program LS-DYNA. Based on these studies, the heating device seems to have only a minor influence on the measurements in the test.