A test program using both gas gun plate impact and pulsed electron beam techniques was conducted to explore the effect of polymorphic phase changes on the mechanical and thermal properties of Ti−6Al−4V at temperatures above 800 K. Shock waves were used to probe material properties either side of the phase line. The measured data are consistent with the equilibrium thermodynamics of a phase line between 900 K to 1370 K, across which the adiabatic bulk modulus abruptly increased 10%, the Gruneisen coefficient abruptly increased 40% and the dynamic yield strength decreased 50% near the phase line.

Plate impact experiments were conducted with hot isostatically pressed beryllium specimens, shocked transversely to the pressing direction. Impact stress was varied from 0.2 GPa to 1.1 GPa, with initial specimen temperatures of 290 K, 500 K and 1000 K. Elastic precursor shocks were observed in every case, instead of the dispersed precursor wave fronts reported by others. In some cases the arrival of three waves was observed.