Hugoniot and strength behavior of silicon carbide

The shock behavior of two varieties of the ceramic silicon carbide was investigated through a series of time-resolved plate impact experiments reaching stresses of over 140 GPa. Through the use of reshock and release configurations, reloading and unloading responses for the materials were found and analysis of these responses provides a measure of the ceramic's strength behavior as quantified by the shear stress and the strength in the Hugoniot state.