WC-based ceramic metal composites ͑cermets͒ are of great importance in both armor and munition design due to the combination of properties imparted by the presence of two different phases. WC-Co cermets are of interest in this area due to the hardness and strength imparted by the WC phase while the cementing Co matrix acts to increase plasticity and toughness. Here the dynamic response of G13 WC-Co manufactured by Kennametal Engineered Products B.V. was studied via a series of plate impact experiments involving both longitudinal and lateral gauges, which allowed determination of the U s − U p relationship, measurement of a Hugoniot elastic limit of 3.3Ϯ 0.2 GPa, measurement of a spall strength of 4.38 GPa, and an investigation of the stress dependence of shear strength in such a strong material.

The dynamic response of a commercially important epoxy resin (RTM 6) has been studied using plate impact experiments in the impact velocity regime of 80-960 m/s. Both longitudinal and lateral manganin stress gauges were employed to study the development of orthogonal components of stress both during and after shock arrival. In light of recent work raising doubts about the interpretation of lateral gauge data, lateral response within the RTM 6 resin was also used to investigate the physical phenomena being measured by the embedded lateral gauges. U S -u P and σ X -u P Hugoniot relationships were in good agreement with data for similar polymer materials from the literature. Derivation of shear strength behaviour both during and after shock arrival showed evidence of strengthening behind the shock front, attributed to compression of the cross-linked epoxy resin polymer chains. Comparison of the change in lateral stress behind the shock to the behaviour of an epoxy resin possessing a similar U S -u P Hugoniot from the literature showed a different response; likely attributable to enhanced cross-linking present in this second resin. This result suggests that the embedded lateral gauges were, at least in part, measuring a physical response behind the shock within the resin. A Hugoniot elastic limit of 0.88 ± 0.04 GPa was derived and found to be of the same order of magnitude as results found elsewhere for similar materials.

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