Numerical and experimental benchmarking of the dynamic response of SiC and TZM specimens in the MultiMat experiment

Abstract

The MultiMat experiment was successfully conducted at CERN's HiRadMat facility, aiming to test novel high-performance materials for use in beam intercepting devices, allowing the derivation and validation of material constitutive models. This article provides an analysis of results for two materials tested in the experiment, namely Silicon Carbide and Titanium Zirconium Molybdenum, with the aim of benchmarking the material constitutive models currently available in literature with experimental results. The material models were implemented in numerical simulations, successfully modelling dynamic longitudinal and flexural phenomena. The article further studies the modelling of the complex boundary conditions present in the experiment, the internal damping characteristics of the materials, and the failure of certain specimens. The strength and failure models proved adequate to model a number of experimental scenarios tested, but require further study to describe the material behaviour at the high strain rates and temperatures induced by accidental particle beam impacts. A post-irradiation examination of the tested specimens was also performed to study the nature of failure in the specimens, and is to be coupled with quasi-static and high strain rate tests for both materials, allowing for the validation of the currently available models and the description of material behaviour across a wide range of strain rates and temperatures.