The feasibility of two-dimensional numerical analysis of the split-Hopkinson pressure bar experiment is proven. A general elastic-plastic artificial viscosity computer program is shown to give an adequate solution for two-dimensional elastic response of a pressure bar subjected to a Heaviside step loading in time which is applied uniformly over the end. This elastic solution agrees with other numerical solutions and with asymptotic series solutions. An elastic specimen is used to verify the split-Hopkinson pressure bar numerical analysis and a numerical solution is also obtained for an elastic-plastic specimen. Special emphasis is placed on the two-dimensional response of the specimen including the sliding between the bars and the specimen with two extremes of interface friction. For large interface friction it is found that induced multidimensional stresses give the appearance of increased material strength which may be misconstrued as a strain-rate effect.