Fracture in stress waves and recompaction during the convergence of austenitic steel 12Kh18N10T shells

Austenitic steel 12Kh18N10T shells subjected to explosive loading are studied by metallographic methods. It is found that two spalls, which stop during convergence before focusing, form in loading according to the first experimental version. In the second version of loading, the flight of the explosion products is confined, and the convergence of a shell is provided up to a deep radius. Nevertheless, spall and shear damages are only partly recompacted. The detected changes in the microstructure and properties of the shells are related to the γ α ′ phase transformation during tension and to dynamic recrystallization and melting during subsequent high-rate deformation.