Energy absorption and deformation behavior of multilayer aluminum foam structures

Abstract

In this study, the energy absorption properties as well as the macroscopic and microscopic deformation behaviors of aluminum foam multilayer structures during quasi-static compression were investigated. The compression data of four types of aluminum foam structures were compared. The comparison revealed that, under quasi-static compression, the uniform-density core layer and the addition of interlayer plates were beneficial for improving the buffer and energy absorption capacity of the structures. The digital image correlation detection method was used to simulate the macroscopic deformation process of the four types of structures, and the strain field changes of the aluminum foam structure at special points of the stress–strain curve were accurately and intuitively determined. In the cell unit, the core layer deformation mainly included bending, rotation, shear, and tension. In addition, several cracks appeared in the brazing interface between the solder and the aluminum plate. An analysis revealed that the cracks were mainly caused by Al2O3 during brazing and stress concentration.