A method for extracting material and mechanical properties of a cylinder subject to expansion cause by an explosion so as to better understand the evolution of damage. The method is directed towards obtaining material and mechanical properties of the cylinder between an undeformed state and a state of deformation prior to total fracture. The method includes the steps of providing: (1) a plurality of cylinders, each of which have the same physical dimensions; (2) a plurality of charges, each of the plurality of charges having a different diameter and hence explosive force; and (3) a fluid having a shock impedance less than a shock impedance of any of the plurality of charges. The method further includes the step of placing the charges in a respective cylinders, tilling the cylinder with the fluid and detonating the charge, and recording the cylinder radial velocity during radial expansion and post-mortem material properties.