Dynamic characteristics of frozen clay by using SHPB tests

Based on the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) tests, dynamic characteristics of frozen clay with various low temperatures and water contents at different strain rates are studied. Variations of dynamic parameters and dynamic stress-strain curves of frozen clay are obtained and analyzed. The results of SHPB tests show that the frozen clay exhibits temperature effect and strain rate effect, and that the failure type tends to change from plastic failure to brittle one with the increase of the strain rate or the decrease of the temperature. Under impact load, the frozen clay exhibits three typical dynamic stress-strain curves as the strain rate increases, and the maximum strain of the frozen clay only linearly increases with the strain rate. The increase of strain rate and water content () and the decrease of temperature result in an increase in both the dynamic strength and elastic modulus of the frozen clay considering the effect of a single factor.