Tensile failure of liquids under dynamic stressing

Abstract

This paper contains an account of various experiments associated with the propagation of a pressure pulse up a vertical column of liquid. When such a pulse reaches the upper free surface of the liquid it is reflected downwards as a pulse of tension. This method therefore provides a means of subjecting the liquid to tension under dynamic conditions of stressing. If the value of the tension at any depth exceeds a certain critical value the liquid will cavitate. Values of this critical tensionTwere measured for liquids of varying viscosities η and it was found that the empirical relationT=kη0.1holds. Secondly, pulse propagation across the interface between two immiscible liquids was studied, and it was found that the maximum tension which could be sustained by an interface separating silicone oil and water is less than the tension which produces cavitation in either of these two liquids. Thirdly, it has been found that the cavitation produced shows several cycles of growth and collapse, a phenomenon which has been observed photographically by previous workers.