This paper focuses on the multiscale mechanism of collapse of hemicylindrical annular surface macrocavities in steel caused by high-strain, high-strain rate plastic flow of copper. Experiments and simulations revealed that a two-stage process is responsible for the observed microjetting phenomena: the formation of lateral copper microjets from the localized shear flow in copper at the interface during the filling of the cavity, and their subsequent collision at the apex of the macrocavity generating two additional horizontal microjets. The lengths of these microjets were an order of magnitude smaller than the cavity size but linearly scaled with the cavity radius. This process of microjet development is sensitive to the cavity geometry and is unlike the previously observed jetting phenomena in cavitation, impact crater collapse, or shock-induced cavity collapse.

• Received 23 June 2014
• Revised 4 December 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.91.022405