Multiscale Simulation of the mechanical properties and the structural dynamics of a copper foam

Abstract

AbstractIn this contribution, a simulation chain for the prediction of the structural dynamics behavior of metal foam is proposed: Starting with investigations of the mesoscopic structure and topology, the linear elastic material properties and their scatter are computed with the help of mesoscopic non‐representative volume elements. Also their probability functions are estimated. In order to be able to describe the mechanical properties as random fields, the autocorrelation function and the power spectral density are determined.The next step in the proposed simulation chain is to generate realisations of the random fields with the help of the Karhunen‐Loeve expansion or the Spectral Representation. Afterwards, these realisations are used in Monte‐Carlo‐Simulations on the macroscale in order to predict the eigenfrequencies of beams and their scatter.With this multiscale approach, the mechanical properties of an open‐celled Copper foam are determined by simulations and the eigenfrequencies are compared to experimental results. (© 2010 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)