Dynamic compressive strength properties of aluminium foams. Part I—experimental data and observations

This study of the dynamic compressive strength properties of metal foams is in two parts. Part I presents data from an extensive experimental study of closed-cell Hydro/Cymat aluminium foam, which elucidates a number of key issues and phenomena. Part II focuses on modelling issues.The dynamic compressive response of the foam was investigated using a direct-impact technique for a range of velocities from 10 to 210ms-1. Elastic wave dispersion and attenuation in the pressure bar was corrected using a deconvolution technique.A new method of locating the point of densification in the nominal stress–strain curves of the foam is proposed, which provides a consistent framework for the definition of the plateau stress and the densification strain, both essential parameters of the ‘shock’ model in Part II. Data for the uniaxial, plastic collapse and plateau stresses are presented for two different average cell sizes of approximately 4 and 14 mm. They show that the plastic collapse strength of the foam changes significantly with compression rate. This phenomenon is discussed, and the distinctive roles of microinertia and ‘shock’ formation are described. The effects of compression rates on the initiation, development and distribution of cell crushing are also examined. Tests were carried out to examine the effects of density gradient and specimen gauge length at different rates of compression and the results are discussed. The origin of the conflicting conclusions in the literature on the correlation between nominal strain rate ɛ˙ (ratio of the impact velocity ViVi to the initial gauge length lolo of the specimen) and the dynamic strength of aluminium alloy foams is identified and explained.