| Summary: | Static mechanical properties such as strength and hardness are easily available in a variety of sources. However, most of these data available does not encompass the fact that mechanical properties of a material, in general, are strain rate dependent. It was discovered that materials respond differently in quasi-static and high strain rate conditions. High strain rate properties are especially important for applications where the materials are subjected to dynamic loading such as in the automobile and aerospace industries amongst others. The Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar Test (SHPB) also known as Kolsky bar is a well-known setup for high strain rate testing. The SHPB is especially suitable for high strain rate testing ranging from 102 to 104 s-1. There are a total of three test modes; tension, compression, and torsion but this report shall only document the findings of the compression mode. Calibrations of setup to ensure straightness in setup bars and necessary measurements to ensure specimen tolerances were met were essential to the success of the experiment. Empty run (without specimen) tests to obtain experimental values were carried out before the actual test with the specimens. To ensure the accuracy and validity of data obtained from set-up, aluminium alloy, Al6061-T6 shall be compared with data obtained from well-known past researches and literature.
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