Abstract
The mechanisms of reflection and transmission of elastic stress pulses in a one- dimensional structural member at discontinuities have long been a subject of interest in impact dynamics, which find many applications. In the present work, experimental data on the reflection and transmission of longitudinal elastic stress pulses at a discontinuity of two dissimilar circular bars are presented and compared with predictions from one-dimensional elastic wave propagation theory. The effects of cross section and impedance ratios on the stress and energy reflection and transmission coefficients are examined over a limited range of cross section and impedance ratios.
