Using Laplace transform to solve the viscoelastic wave problems in the dynamic material property tests

In relation to the dynamic tests of materials, the approach to solve the viscoelastic wave propagations in a one dimensional viscoelastic rod was summarized. By conducting Laplace transform, the governing partial differential equations were transformed to ordinary differential equations for the image functions, which were solved analytically with suitable boundary equations. Inversely transforming these image functions gives the results of the stress, velocity, and strain in the bar. Two wave problems occurred in split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) tests are analyzed: 1) the problem of evaluating the internal stress distributions in a viscoelastic specimen; and 2) the problem of stress wave propagations in a viscoelastic bar. Both problems were solved numerically by way of numerical inverse Laplace transform. For the first problem, the special case when the specimen is pure elastic was solved analytically, giving the exact solution to the problem of elastic wave propagation in a sandwich elastic media