An image-based reconstruction of the 3D geometry of an Al open-cell foam and FEM modeling of the material response

Porous materials due to their complex geometry are difficult to be examined by FEM-based approaches and usually are simulated by simplified geometrical models. In the present paper a novel procedure for describing the solid geometry of open-cell foams is introduced, facilitating the establishment of a corresponding FEM model for simulating the material behavior in micro-tension. Open-cell Al-foams were fabricated using the polymer impregnating method. A serial sectioning image-based process is described to capture, reproduce and visualize the exact three-dimensional (3D) microstructure of the examined foam. The generated 3D geometry of the Al-foam, derived from the synthesis of digital cross sectional images of the foam, was appropriately adjusted to build a FE model simulating the deformation conditions of the Al-foam under micro-tension loads. The obtained results render possible the visualisation of the stress fields in the Al-foam, allowing for a full investigation of its mechanical behavior.