A descriptionis given of the operating principles and construction of a number of explosive test devices for dynamic tests on materials and structures. The considerable energy capacity of an explosive makes it possible to obtain pulsed loading parameters almost unachievable by existing mechanical systems of the impact machine type. The devices are small in size, and their cost is much less than that of the corresponding impact machines. Reliable localization of an explosion makes it possible to use extensively devices of the explosive type under laboratory conditions. Operating experience with these devices points to extensive possibilities of using them in various branches of technology.

A brief description of some existing experimental explosive devices for material dynamic strength tests at strain rates of 10(2)-10(3)s-1 and different stressed states and for mechanical loading of structures, of different overall dimensions, with loading pulse parameters, varying in a wide range are considered in this report.