FAILURE OF TUNGSTEN HEAVY ALLOYS SUBJECTED TO DYNAMIC TRANSVERSE LOADING

A new type of experiment has been developed to subject rods to dynamic transverse impact similar to that encountered in attack of modern armors. Two tungsten alloys with five different surface finishes were examined. It was found that there were two failure modes: one involved transverse fracture that initiates from surface flaws. The other was a consequence of gouge instability on the sliding surface. Polishing suppressed the first mode and enhanced the second.