A Newly Developed Kolsky Tension Bar

Mechanical characterization of materials requires highly precise and reliable experimental facilities. At 2009 SEM conference, we presented a newly developed Kolsky compression bar at Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA. Comparing the compression bar, development of Kolsky tension bar is much more challenging. In this study, besides remedies for the Kolsky compression bar design were used for the new tension bar, the loading device facilitating tension wave was newly designed. The newly developed Kolsky tension bar was demonstrated reliable and precise for investigation of stress-strain behavior as well as damage and failure response of materials under impact loading conditions.