Numerical Modeling and Simulation of Uniaxial Compression of Aluminum Foams Using FEM and 3D-CT Images

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the elasto-plastic deformation behavior of open cell aluminum foams samples simulated under compressive loads and verified experimentally. Aluminum foams were fabricated from AlSiMg alloy by infiltration process with vacuum pressure. The samples geometry was obtained via 3D reconstruction using micro-computer tomography images. Solid representation of the samples was used for the numerical model based on Finite Element Method (FEM) where mechanical behavior was established. The material parameters were calibrated by experimental results and were used for setting up simulations. The compression test was carried out at room temperature and strain rate of 0.5 mm.s-1. The average plateau stress and energy absorption per unit volume were evaluated from the measured stress-strain curves. The 3D FEM models were used to simulate the mechanical behavior of open cell aluminum foam and establish its stress - strain state. The experimental responses from the compression tests were in agreement with the obtained from the 3D numerical models. It was possible to determine by numerical models and experimental stress – strain curves, the mechanical behavior of the aluminum foams under study: the plateau stress and energy absorption increase with decreasing pore size and increasing density.