High-speed Impact Damage Diagnostics with Simultaneous X-ray Imaging, XRD, and Temperature Measurements

Abstract:  

For materials in impact applications, the failure processes can be a critical aspect in their impact resistance. Thus, it is desired to track the damage initiation and evolution in real time during the dynamic deformation of the specimens, which was not possible except for a few transparent materials under high-speed optical imaging. Over the past decade, we integrated the high-speed X-ray imaging capabilities present at the Advanced Photon Source beamline 32ID-B (Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA) with the high-rate loading offered by the Kolsky compression/tension bar and light gas gun. High-speed X-ray images and full-ring X-ray diffraction, as well as temperature field and full strain field, can be obtained simultaneously. The effectiveness of these new experimental capabilities is verified via impact on various material systems, demonstrating in-situ image analysis inside of the material systems during loading rates commonly encountered in high-rate deformation environments, such as high-speed machining, vehicle collision, and blast/impact.

Bio:

Professor Wayne Chen received his Ph.D. in Aeronautics at California Institute of Technology in 1995. He is currently Vance and Arlene Coffman Endowed Department Chair and Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Iowa State University. His research interests are in dynamic experimental technique development and dynamic material characterization. The research results from his group have been published in a book and over 240 journal articles. He is a Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a Fellow of Society for Experimental Mechanics, and an Associate Fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. His recent awards include Eminent Engineer from Tau Beta Pi (2024) and B.J. Lazan Award from Society of Experimental Mechanics (2025).