Transformation of Structure in Carbon Steel Specimen under Loading by Mach Stem, Formed in Preliminary Compressed High Explosive Charge TG-40

Abstract

A structure of a carbon steel specimen after explosive loading is investigated. The loading was executed by Mach stem, formed in high explosive charge that was preliminary compressed by advanced wave in ceramic bar. In the original condition the specimen had a typical for low carbon steel ferrite-pearlite structure. Metallographic analysis has shown that during the process of the explosive loading the following structural changes took place: formation of numerous deformation twins in both ferrite grains and pearlite colonies (i.e. in two-phase structure); formation of extended bands of localized deformation, which are not crystallographically connected with the original ferrite-pearlite structure; fine grains formation in zones of severe plastic flow. The size of the ferrite grains is by an order of magnitude less than the original grains size. According to the authors’ opinion, above-noted structural peculiarities demonstrate that loading conditions achieved in the current loading scheme differ from common. The phenomenon of non-typical twinning in heterogeneous structure (pearlite) indirectly evidences that extremely high stresses and strain rates took place in the specimen during the loading.