Interaction of shock wave with closed cell foams: Effect of foam material, microstructure, and specimen configuration

Abstract

This article discusses the experimental investigation of the dynamic mechanical behavior of polyethylene (PE) foam under shock wave loading. The experiments were conducted using a two-stage light shock tube, and the dynamic response of the foam was characterized by measuring the pressure wave transmitted through the foam and the load on the foam specimen using a pressure sensor and a load cell, respectively. High-speed imaging was also used to capture the deformation of the foam specimen during the shock loading. The results show that the deformation of the foam under shock wave loading is non-uniform along the length of the specimen and is influenced by the presence of metal plates inserted along the length of the foam specimen. The degree of compression of the foam specimen was quantified and found to depend on the number of segments and the presence of metal caps on the specimen. The results provide insight into the mechanical behavior of PE foam under dynamic loading conditions and can be useful for designing protective structures for impact and blast resistance applications.