Axial impact on a semi-infinite elastic rod

Abstract

An approximate theory for treating the axial collision of a rigid mass against an elastic rod was proposed by Saint–Venant more than 150 years ago. The method works only for short bars, under the assumption that the elastic axial displacement instantaneously propagates from one end to the other after the impact. Moreover, this hypothesis is unrealistic for long rods.

Here we suggest an extension of the method which is able to treat the axial impact on the initial cross-section of a semi-infinite rod.