Applicability of the classical analysis of experiments with split Hopkins pressure bar

It is shown that a classical approach to the treatment of data for the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) is applicable only to magnetically soft materials, the acoustic impedance of which is small as compared to that of the measuring bars. Unjustified application of the classical method to materials with high acoustic impedance (such as ceramics) or with a high viscosity may lead to unacceptably large errors. A physically consistent theory for the treatment of SHPB data is proposed.