Commercial manganin gauges were calibrated in a series of plane shock wave experiments. The calibration curve obtained is linear in the O-1.5-GPa range and curves for higher stresses (1.5-18.1 G Pa). The linear portion is attributed to the elastic behavior of the gauge. This was confirmed by experiments which included rarefactions from free surfaces. The onset of hysteresis was found to be at 1.5 GPa. The experiments demonstrated that the gauge's response does not depend on the target material in which the gauge is embedded. Also the thickness of the insulating layer which surrounds the gauge does not have any influence on its relative resistance changes.

The spall strength of soda lime glass was measured with Manganin stress gauges, in planar impact experiments, below and above the Hugoniot elastic limit of the glass. It was found that while in its elastic range the glass can withstand very large tensions (over 30 kbars), its spall strength reduced to zero when shocked just above the HEL. This confirms the assumption that the elastic limit marks the onset of fracture in glass upon shock loading.

The shear strength of shock-loaded commercial alumina (AD-85 manufactured by Coors) is determined in the 0–140-kbar range of shock stresses. Longitudinal and transverse manganin gauges were used to determine the principal stresses in the shocked specimens. Shear strengths were determined from the difference between the longitudinal and lateral stresses. It was found that the shear strength remains essentially constant at about 27 kbar for shock stresses between 60 kbar (the Hugoniot elastic limit) and the maximum shock amplitude tested in this series (142 kbar). The source for the high shear strength is attributed to the confining pressures that strengthen the comminuted ceramic. Evidence for this interpretation is obtained by considering the release profiles as recorded by the longitudinal gauges when the free-surface rarefactions reach gauge location.

Commercial manganin gauges were used in a series of planar impact experiments in order to determine the alpha to or from epsilon phase transformation in Armco iron. Using calibration curves for shock levels, the direct alpha to epsilon transformation stress for 5mm thick samples was found to be 136.5+or-2.5 kb when impact loaded to stresses between 145-180 kb. With the aid of a special calibration curve for the release part of the stress pulse the onset of the reverse epsilon to alpha transformation was found to be at a stress of 100+or-2.5 kb. The specific volume of the iron at this transformation point was calculated, with the aid of the measured lagrangian velocity of the rarefaction shock, to be at about 0.9 the initial volume.

A method for direct measurement of strain in plane impact experiments is presented. The method is based on recording resistance changes of a longitudinal resistance gauge placed in the target specimen. To demonstrate the validity of the method we conducted a series of plane impact experiments in which manganin and constantan resistance gauges were placed in targets made of different materials. From the experimental results we conclude that the uniaxial strain in the target material can be determined to within an error of Δε=±0.2%.