A numerical method for the ballistic performance prediction of the sandwiched open cell aluminum foam under hypervelocity impact

The stress wave propagation in the foam material, which is extracted from the simulation output, is very different from that in the homogeneous material. The stress wave can only propagate inside the ligaments, and is diffused by the cellular structure. The important tensile failure pattern in the homogeneous material, which is generated by the reflection of the compressive wave on the free surface, is not observed in the foam material. The diffusion of the stress wave spreads the impact effect to a large area, leading to the enhanced dissipation of the impact energy, which increases the ballistic limit of the foam panel.