Intact and Predamaged Boron Carbide Strength under Moderate Confinement Pressures

Abstract

This article summarizes the characterization work performed on intact and predamaged boron carbide tested in compression under confinement in a pressure vessel or using a thick steel confining sleeve. The focus is on the effect of pressure (up to 2 GPa hydrostatic pressure) on the strength. The techniques used for characterization are described. The failure curves obtained are presented and written as Drucker‐Prager and Mohr‐Coulomb failure criteria. Optical and stereomicroscopy were used to evaluate and document damage. Finally, the results are discussed and compared to the literature. It is shown that data obtained with very different techniques (confined compression, plate impact, and divergent plate impact) overlap, increasing the confidence in the results.