Beryllium Strength under Extreme Dynamic Loading Conditions

Beryllium strength has been investigated under dynamic loading conditions using platforms that span a limited range of pressure and strain-rate space. Multiple Be strength models that are ostensibly calibrated to these experiments persist, and yet they predict dierent outcomes for results beyond the limited phase space where data exist. We discuss experiments using high explosives (HE) to accelerate a solid rippled Be target quasi-isentropically. The interface between the low-density gaseous HE and the perturbed face of the solid target is Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) unstable. The amplitude of the ripples will grow with time, and the Be strength will mitigate the ripple growth. By measuring and modeling the amplitude growth, we can discriminate among various strength models for Be. Our RT designs extend the pressures up to 50 GPa and the strain-rates to 10 6 s 1 . As a part of the design process, we analyze existing plate impactor and Taylor anvil experiments using available models. We present the results of this analysis as well as the designs and preliminary experimental results from the RT experiments.