Influence of extreme velocities on dynamic cavity expansion

Cavitation can broadly be described as the unstable expansion of an empty void in a body, usually occurring when loads on the body reach a critical level. In this thesis, dynamic cavity expansion (DCE) in solids is of particular interest. Cavity expansion has been studied extensively under quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions. However, the behavior of cavitation fields with extreme dynamic expansion velocities have little been studied, especially in materials without a definite yield point. In this thesis, DCE in a hardening elastoplastic medium is considered under extreme velocities. Two nonlinear differential equations are used to describe the steady-state expansion. Using numerical integration, this system is solved to explore the behavior under extreme expansion velocities. By gradually increasing the expansion velocities, we find that a singularity occurs in the governing system, indicating a shock wave emerging and propagating through the material. With this limit velocity of the material known, further characteristics of the material can be described and investigated.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Wittels, Kelsey Lynn

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Tal Cohen.

• Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/111533

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/111533