Abstract: Dynamic mechanical properties of Al2O3 ceramics are investigated using classical and improved procedures applying the split Hopkinson pressure bar. It is shown that the ceramics are nonlinear elastic-brittle materials, which are insensitive to the strain rate at lower frequencies but become rather sensitive at higher alternations. Their dynamic moduli of elasticity and dynamic compressive strengths increase with the increase in strain rate. A dynamic constitutive equation is obtained by fitting the test data.