High-Rate Progressive Failure of Borosilicate Glass under Mechanical Confinement at High Temperatures

In this study, we experimentally determined the dynamic response of a damaged borosilicate glass at different temperatures, damage levels and confinement pressures. The initiation and evolution of damage during the loading process were also examined. An improved double-pulse loading Kolsky compression bar, integrated with a non-contact high temperature testing system and a single loading momentum trap system, was used to characterize the high-rate mechanical behavior of a damaged borosilicate glass. Specimen deformation was interrupted at different strain levels to reveal damage evolution with increasing strain. The results show that the equivalent flow strength of damaged borosilicate glass depends linearly on the hydrostatic pressure; however the variation of temperature has little effects on the strength. Through post-mortem SEM analysis, the failure in an intact specimen was found to be initiated in the form of axial splitting. Further loading on the splitted specimens induced catastrophic buckling of the columns which converted the specimens into small fragments. Shear zones became evident in the compacted fragments as deformation further accumulated. The propagation of the shear zones to the entire specimen eventually led to full comminution of the borosilicate glass material.