Nonlinear effects in dynamic loading of a material with defect zones

An analysis is made of some characteristic features of the interaction between solitary pulses (soliton-like waves) generated under high-velocity loading and structural defects in an Al crystallite. Calculations are made using the molecular dynamics method. It is shown that in materials undergoing shear loading and those undergoing compression different types of solitary pulses are formed which interact differently with regions containing structural defects. The waves formed under compression have a higher propagation velocity in the material, and their profile recovers fairly rapidly after propagating through defect zones. These phenomena are of interest for developing methods of nondestructive testing.