Dynamic sliding along incoherent (frictional) interfaces is investigated experimentally in a microsecond time scale. A bimaterial system comprised of Homalite and steel plates and a homogeneous system consisting of two Homalite plates are considered. The plates are held together by a uniform compressive stress while dynamic sliding is initiated by an impact-induced shear loading. The evolution of maximum shear stress contours is recorded by high-speed photography in conjunction with dynamic photoelasticity. Simultaneously with photoelasticity, a newly-developed technique based on laser interferometry is employed to locally measure the sliding speed at the interface.; The response of the Homalite-steel bimaterial system differs according to whether the impact loading is applied to the Homalite plate or to the steel plate. In the first case, a disturbance traveling along the interface at a constant speed close to the Rayleigh wave speed of steel generates a shear Mach line crossing the P-wave front. Sliding initiates behind the P-wave front in the Homalite plate and it propagates at a supershear speed with respect to the shear wave speed of Homalite. A disturbance, traveling at constant speeds between the shear wave speed and the longitudinal wave speed of Homalite, appears behind the sliding tip. Wrinkle-like opening pulses, propagating along the bimaterial interface at a constant speed between the Rayleigh wave and the shear wave speed of Homalite, are also observed. When the impact loading is applied to the steel plate, sliding at a given point initiates with the arrival of the P-wave front there, so that the rupture is sonic with respect to steel and supersonic with respect to Homalite.; In all the experiments performed on the bimaterial structure (Homalite-steel), sliding always occurred in a crack-like mode. In the case of a homogeneous system of Homalite plates however, direct physical evidence of various modes of sliding is recorded. Crack-like sliding, pulse-like sliding and mixed mode sliding in the form of pulses followed by a crack are discovered. Supersonic trailing pulses are also recorded. Behind the sliding tip, wrinkle-like opening pulses are developed for a wide range of impact speeds and confining stresses.
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