In this paper, the dynamic tensile properties of brittle materials were studied by using the dynamic Brazilian tests. Combined with a high‐speed photographic system, a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) was used to conduct dynamic Brazilian tests on three brittle materials: Al2O3 ceramic, granite and poly(methyl methacrylate). Based on the images recorded by a high‐speed camera, the displacement and strain fields were obtained by the digital image correlation method. The dynamic deformation and failure of the brittle materials were analysed. The rate‐related dynamic tensile strength of the three brittle materials was also determined and analysed. The results show that the dynamic Brazilian test is an effective method to study the dynamic tensile properties of brittle materials.

In this paper, the dynamic deformation of thin metal circular plates subjected to confined blast loading was studied using highspeed three-dimensional Digital Image Correlation (3D DIC). A small-scale confined cylinder vessel was designed for applying blast loading, in which an explosive charge was ignited to generate blast loading acting on a thin metal circular plate clamped on the end of the vessel by a cover flange. The images of the metal plates during the dynamic response were recorded by two high-speed cameras. The 3D transient displacement fields, velocity fields, strain fields and residual deformation profiles were calculated by using 3D DIC. Some feature deformation parameters including maximum out-of-plane displacement, final deflection, maximum principal strain and residual principal strain were extracted, and the result was in good agreement with that simulated by AUTODYN. A dimensionless displacement was introduced to analyse the effects of plate thickness, material types and charge mass on the deflection of metal plates. DIC is also proven to be a powerful technique to measure dynamic deformation under blast loading.