Quasi static compressive behavior of aluminum foam

Abstract

Closed-cell AL foams’ indentation response under quasi-static loading and uniaxial compression at varied strain rates (from 3.333e-4 to 0.1333 s-1) were studied experimentally in this study. The indentation deformation was found to be nearly entirely contained inside a compressed zone within cap of spherical shape below the indenter. The strength due to indentation for aluminum foam with closed cell is higher than its uniaxial compressive strength due to effort needed in ripping cell walls along indenter circumference & friction. Under transverse uniaxial compressive stresses, the aluminum foam (closed cell type) shows an elastoplastic behavior. Metal foam is an excellent energy absorber, as seen by a long plateau Stress VS Strain curve. In contrast, plastic strength appears to grow linearly with strain rate, but metals with higher density appear having just a linear behavior. The sensitivity of foam to strain was shown to be dependent on strain and strain rate, just as that of metals with higher density.