Elastic Mechanical Properties Research Articles

Compressive behavior of additively manufactured lightweight structures: Infill density optimization based on energy absorption diagrams

The use of 3D-printed components as load-bearing structures is widely studied, while their use as energy absorbers constitutes a gap in the additive manufacturing (AM) field. Most of the reported works address the compressive behavior of AM parts up to low strains (<15%), thus omitting many important properties. Therefore, this paper presents the compression characterization of Polylactic Acid (PLA) samples with different infill densities-IDs (10–100% range, with a step of 10%) fabricated by material extrusion (MEX) AM process. The physical (dimensional accuracy, printing time and sample mass) and mechanical (elastic, strength, strain and energy absorption) properties are determined and discussed in detail, along with the failure mechanisms that occur in the samples. Moreover, an ID optimization is performed based on the energy absorption diagrams (EAD), a unique approach in the AM field. The highest values of compressive strength (81 MPa) and modulus (1306.6 MPa) are found for 90%-ID, over 2.2% higher than those obtained for 100%-ID. On the other hand, based on three different approaches, EAD identified 30%-ID as optimal. The 30%-ID samples absorb the largest amount of energy (12 MJ/m3) at the lowest (ideal) peak stress value (23.57 MPa), which is 69.1% lower than that for 100%-ID. At low IDs (<30%), the samples exhibit a brittle behavior, changing to a ductile one with the increase of ID (≥40%). The MEX-printed PLA samples show a dimensional relative error below 0.15%, and the optimization process reduces the amount of filament material by 54.3% and the printing time by 42.7%.

Mechanical and electrical properties of two-dimensional BN doped with carbon group elements: first-principles calculations

Abstract Research of low-dimensional nanomaterials provides a direction for solving the problems of energy and environmental pollution. In this work, the regulation mechanism of doping carbon group elements X (X = C, Si, Ge, Pb, Sn) on mechanical and electrical properties of 2D monolayer BN are investigated by first-principles calculations. Two doping sites were selected, replace B atoms (B15N16X) or N atoms (B16N15X). Lower relative enthalpies and the elastic constants, which conforming to the mechanical stability standard, fully prove the stability of the doping system. Compared with B15N16X, B16N15X has larger structural distortion, smaller elastic constants and modulus, and is more inclined to ductility. With the increase of atomic radius, the deformation degree increases and the elastic parameters decrease. C-doped by replacing B atoms improves the elastic mechanical properties of monolayer BN. Sn-doped and Pb-doped modulate the monolayer BN into ductility. More importantly, all doped configurations exhibit magnetism. The indirect band gap of the undoped system can also be modulated into a direct band gap, B15N16C, B16N15Si and B16N15Ge all have direct band gaps in the spin-down direction. Asymmetric impurity energy levels DOS further verify the magnetism of the reference system.

Molecular Dynamics Insights into Mechanical Stability, Elastic Properties, and Fracture Behavior of PHOTH-Graphene.

PHOTH-graphene is a newly predicted 2D carbon material with a low-energy structure. However, its mechanical stability and fracture properties are still elusive. The mechanical stability, elastic, and fracture properties of PHOTH-graphene were investigated using classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations equipped with REBO potential in this study. The influence of orientation and temperature on mechanical properties was evaluated. Specifically, the Young's modulus, toughness, and ultimate stress and strain varied by -26.14%, 36.46%, 29.04%, and 25.12%, respectively, when comparing the armchair direction to the zigzag direction. The percentage reduction in ultimate stress, ultimate strain, and toughness of the material in both directions after a temperature increase of 1000 K (from 200 K to 1200 K) ranged from 56.69% to 91.80%, and the Young's modulus was reduced by 13.63% and 7.25% in both directions, respectively, with Young's modulus showing lower sensitivity. Defects usually weaken the material's strength, but adding random point defects in the range of 3% to 5% significantly increases the ultimate strain of the material. Furthermore, hydrogen atom adsorption induces crack expansion to occur earlier, and the crack tip without hydrogen atom adsorption just began to expand when the strain was 0.135, while the crack tip with hydrogen atom adsorption had already undergone significant expansion. This study provides a reference for the possible future practical application of PHOTH-graphene in terms of mechanical properties and fracture failure.

Study of multiscale mechanical properties of Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystals

Based on the quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics scales, the elastic and tensile mechanical properties of Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystals (QCs) are investigated by utilizing the first-principles and molecular dynamics (MD) methods. The density functional theory (DFT) is adopted to obtain all elastic constants, stability, elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, anisotropy, Debye temperature of Al57Pd16Mn3 QCs. Simultaneously, the MD simulations are conducted to analyze the influence of temperature and strain rate on the stress-strain curves, atomic structures, and deformation mechanism. The results indicate that Al57Pd16Mn3 QCs are stable orthogonal structures and satisfy the Cauchy conditions. Additionally, the mechanical properties of Al-Pd-Mn QCs obtained by the first-principles are consistent with the MD and experimental results. The elastic properties of Al57Pd16Mn3 QCs are approximately isotropic. The elastic modulus and ultimate tensile strength of Al57Pd16Mn3 QCs always decrease with increasing temperature. An increase in the strain rate results in a negligible change in the elastic modulus but in a noticeable enhancement in the ultimate tensile strength and strain. The current results could provide essential theoretical insights for studying the mechanical properties of QCs, and extend the scope of multi-scale study in the field of QCs at microcosmic scale as well.

Tailoring elastic bandgaps and moduli of triply periodic minimal surface structures by a hybrid technique

This work aimed to investigate elastic dispersion behaviors of triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) lattice structures. The dispersion curves were established using the finite element (FE) Bloch reduction method, in which the Bloch periodic boundary condition was implied via the Bloch transform matrix. Four different types of both surface- and solid-based TPMS lattices with varying relative densities were considered. It was found that only the solid-based Neovius and Schwarz structures provided complete elastic bandgaps. Then, elastic stiffnesses of the structures obtained by representative volume element (RVE) models were evaluated with regard to their achieved band gaps. Reducing the volume fraction of lattices obviously enhanced the bandgap behaviors, while decreasing the specific moduli. Moreover, new hybrid phononic lattices were introduced for tailoring the elastic bandgap and mechanical properties. The results showed that incorporating the strut-based face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice in the TPMS structures could obviously improve the bandgap characteristics and simultaneously maintain reasonable specific elastic properties. Finally, wave suppression structure by using the dispersion curves was demonstrated by examining a simple beam infilled with the periodic lattices under excited loads. It was shown that the TPMS structures could be well applied as an effective wave suppression feature in load-bearing structures.

A single-phase Nb25Ti35V5Zr35 refractory high-entropy alloy with excellent strength-ductility synergy

Refractory high entropy alloys (RHEAs) are promising candidates for high-temperature structural materials due to their excellent high-temperature performance. However, the room-temperature brittleness of most alloys results in poor plastic formability, thereby limiting their engineering applications. In this study, Nb25Ti35V5Zr35 alloy with cold-rollability was developed, and its phase stability, tensile mechanical properties, elastic properties, strengthening mechanism, and deformation mechanism were investigated by combining experiments, CALPHAD, DFT and molecular statics (MS) methods. The results demonstrate that Nb25Ti35V5Zr35 alloy possesses good phase stability, with both the as-cast and annealed states maintaining a single-phase BCC structure without undergoing phase transformation. The tensile yield strength of the alloy reaches its peak at 1152 MPa in the cold-rolled condition, while its annealed state exhibits an optimal balance of strength and plasticity, with a yield strength of 836 MPa and an elongation of 22.45 %, respectively. Solid solution strengthening is the primary source of its high strength, with V and Zr playing key roles in this strengthening mechanism. Dislocation slip plays a dominant role in plastic deformation. Additionally, compared to traditional BCC alloys, the significance of edge dislocations in the deformation process is notably enhanced, with the {112} plane serving as the preferred slip plane for dislocations. DFT results indicate that the alloy exhibits significant anisotropy in both Young's modulus and shear modulus. This work contributes to understanding the material properties of the Nb25Ti35V5Zr35 alloy and provides a reference for the design of new ductile RHEAs.

Influence of processing parameters on the fracture behaviour of 316L SS printed by laser powder bed fusion

This study explored the relationship between process parameters and fracture behavior in 316L stainless steel printed by laser powder bed fusion. Fracture testing was conducted according to ASTM E1820 for single edge notch bending, and elastic mechanical properties were determined using ultrasonic surface wave analysis. Five test sets were considered in a vertical building configuration using five different volumetric energies belonging to conduction mode. The critical fracture toughness was calculated and discussed along with the plastic deformations at the crack tip. The study found that local plastic deformation for single edge notch bending was influenced by powder bed fusion process parameters. A correlation was observed between energy density, fracture toughness, and the dimensions of the fracture process zone. The R-curves showed different fracture behaviors depending on the energy density. The energy required to grow a crack was associated with larger plastic zones, resulting in fracture toughness values ranging from 43 (43 J mm−3) to 427 kJ/m2 (68 J mm−3). Results are discussed in terms of porosity and strain hardening capacity depending on the manufacturing conditions.

Mesogen Organizations in Nematic Liquid Crystal Elastomers Under Different Deformation Conditions.

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) exhibit unique mechanical properties of soft elasticity and reversible shape-changing behaviors, and so serve as potentially transformative materials for various protective and actuation applications. This study contributes to filling a critical knowledge gap in the field by investigating the microscale mesogen organization of nematic LCEs with diverse macroscopic deformation. A polarized Fourier transform infrared light spectroscopy (FTIR) tester is utilized to examine the mesogen organizations, including both the nematic director and mesogen order parameter. Three types of material deformation are analyzed: uniaxial tension, simple shear, and bi-axial tension, which are all commonly encountered in practical designs of LCEs. By integrating customized loading fixtures into the FTIR tester, mesogen organizations are examined across varying magnitudes of strain levels for each deformation mode. Their relationships with macroscopic stress responses are revealed and compared with predictions from existing theories. Furthermore, this study reveals unique features of mesogen organizations that have not been previously reported, such as simultaneous evolutions of the mesogen order parameter and nematic director in simple shear and bi-axial loading conditions. Overall, the findings presented in this study offer significant new insights for future rational designs, modeling, and applications of LCE materials.

Structural behaviour of adhesive bonds in 3D printed adherends

Additive manufacturing (AM) processes, also known as 3D printing, are experiencing growth and more industries are seeking solutions in these types of processes due to their advantages, including reducing the manufacturing time, sustainability, and the freedom to execute complex geometries. However, the dimensions of components are still quite small. Thus, it is necessary to find solutions for cases where assembly and joining of manufactured components are necessary. This work studies the tensile performance of adhesively bonded single-lap joints (SLJ) between AM adherends of polylactic acid (PLA), Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified (PETG), and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), bonded with the adhesives Araldite® 2015 and Sikaforce® 7752. The adherends’ mechanical elastic, plastic and fracture properties are determined prior to the assessment of the adhesive performance in SLJ. Failure modes, joint strength, assembly stiffness, and failure energy are obtained experimentally and compared to Cohesive Zone Model (CZM) predictions, aiming to provide the best material/adhesive combination that maximises the joint performance. In terms of strength and stiffness, PLA joints bonded with the Araldite® 2015 provided the best results, although the behaviour was different for the dissipated energy. The CZM approach showed to be a reliable design approach for bonded AM joints.

Knittable hydrogel fiber with physically amorphous structure for multi-mode sensing capacities

Integrating both green forming character and multifunctionality for physically crosslinked hydrogel fibers is challenging, but intensively desirable for emerging applications. Herein, the amorphous multi-scale structure for continuously spinning polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel fibers is achieved with an innovatively suppressed-freezing strategy. In particular, the antifreezing salt with salting-in effect is introduced into precursor solution, in which an exceptionally homogeneous yet weak approach of polymer chains is available under weakened repelling behavior of ice crystals using liquid nitrogen as the coagulation bath. Hence, a totally amorphous network with release of free hydroxyl groups is constructed for freeze-thawed PVA hydrogel fibers, which is further stabilized by water evaporation induced densification of polymer network. Such particular multi-scale structure interestingly endows the physical hydrogel fibers with tunable mechanical properties of superior extendibility, flexibility and elasticity in a wide range, along with integrated properties of excellent transparency, antifreezing and long-term stability. Moreover, the hydrogel fibers could be knitted into fabric-like materials with arbitrary shapes, of which the extendibility and toughness are tremendously improved. Notably, benefiting from the high transparency and homogeneous structure, the physical fibers and the corresponding fabrics demonstrate light transmittance ability and deformation responsiveness, which retains even in extreme condition (−196 °C). Together with ionic-conductivity, the PVA hydrogel fibers/fabrics as strain sensors intriguingly represent conductive/optical multi-mode sensations, which are capable of dynamically monitoring subtle and sophisticated human movements. The combined advantages enable this new generation of physical hydrogel fibers to promise potential for applications in wearable electronics, biomedicine, and information transmission.

Bioadhesive Polymeric Films Containing Rhamnolipids, An Innovative Antimicrobial Topical Formulation.

Acne affects most of the world's population, causing an impact on the self-esteem of adolescents and young adults. One of the causes is the presence of the bacteria Cutibacterium acnes which are part of the natural microbiota of the skin. Topical treatments consist of anti-inflammatory and antibiotics, which could select resistant strains. Alternatives to the antibiotic are biocomposites that have antimicrobial activity like biosurfactants which are produced by bacteria. An innovative way of applying these compounds is bioadhesive polymeric films that adhere to the skin and release the active principle topically. Rhamnolipids have great potential to be used in the treatment of acne because they present antimicrobial activity against C. acnes in low and safe concentrations (MIC of 15.62µg/mL, CBM of 31.25µg/mL and CC50 of 181.93µg/mL). Four films with different rhamnolipids concentrations (0.0; 0.1; 0.2; and 0.3%, w/w) were obtained as to visual appearance, mass variation, thickness, density, solubility, pH, water vapor transmission, mechanical properties (folding endurance, bioadhesion strength, tensile strength, elongation at break and Young's modulus), scanning electron microscopy and infrared. The results show that these formulations had a homogeneous appearance; elastic mechanical properties; pH similar to human skin and bioadhesive. The polymeric films containing rhamnolipids were effective against C. acnes, in the in vitro test, at the three concentrations tested, the film with the highest concentration (0.3%, w/w) being the most promising for presenting the highest antimicrobial activity. Thus, the polymeric film containing rhamnolipids has the potential to be used in the treatment of acne.

Finite element based homogenization of polypropylene/silica micro-composites: experimental work and numerical modeling

Polypropylene (PP) is one of the leading polymers in the polymer industry finding applications from automotive industry to medical equipment and adding silica can make it more desirable. A lot of experimental analysis has been done to study the effect of particle size among other parameters on PP/silica composites. However, very few literatures numerically analyze PP/silica composites. This study focuses on developing a 3D Finite Element based homogenization model that can accurately predict the elastic mechanical properties of PP/micro-silica composites. A Repeating Unit Cell is deployed during this study and periodic boundary conditions are imposed. The contribution of the model was demonstrated by comparing experimental results to the numerical analysis. The maximum error between the two for the Young’s modulus was less than 4% for 3% micro-silica composite. Similarly, to predict the compressive modulus, the maximum error was less than 7%. Parametric study was conducted to demonstrate how the proposed model behaves better than the analytical micro-mechanic models for soft materials like polymer composites and where contact failure occurs between the matrix and particle.

Semi-automatic calibration of numerical models for the seismic safety assessment of masonry towers embedded in building aggregates

The present work addresses the topic of automated calibration of numerical models starting from the experimental characterization of the structure’s dynamic behaviour. The importance of the topic is well known in the literature, especially in cases where it is necessary to have at disposal validated numerical models, necessary for the correct evaluation of the safety of existing buildings. Generally, the calibration problem is developed with a manual approach (manual tuning), with a positive outcome whenever there is a good knowledge of the boundary and internal constraint conditions and the elastic mechanical properties of the construction’s constituent materials. Conversely, the positive outcome is particularly difficult to achieve manually when there are non-homogeneous and/or complex structures, as in the cases of historic masonry structures, which are often the result of constructions carried out at different times, organized in aggregates whose interaction between the portions is not simple to understand. For this purpose, the present work, using commercial software and specially prepared routines, illustrates a semi-automatic procedure, which employs genetic algorithms, suitable for the optimized identification of the numerical model that best represents the structure’s experimental dynamic behaviour. The procedure is presented with reference to two case studies: the Gabbia Tower historic masonry aggregate in Mantua and the bell tower of the Monastery of the Ursuline nuns in Capriolo, Brescia. In the first case, in addition to the experimental dynamic characterization, a good instrumental characterization of the tower’s masonry mechanical properties is available. In the second case, alongside a good experimental dynamic characterization, only a qualitative estimate of the masonry mechanical properties, based on visual inspections, is available. The two case studies allow for testing the validity of the numerical models’ calibration procedure, necessary for their application in the field of safety checks. Finally, for the case studies analysed the work presents an assessment of seismic vulnerability starting from the models identified with the semi-automatic procedure. The seismic vulnerability assessment was obtained using non-linear static analysis following the N2 method.

Design of 2D re-entrant auxetic lattice structures with extreme elastic mechanical properties

Auxetics have emerged recently as an exciting class of mechanical metamaterials that are identified by negative Poisson’s ratio. The mechanical properties of rationally designed auxetic metamaterials are mostly influenced by their topological characteristics rather than the material properties of their constituent material. The goal of this paper is to use optimization algorithms to achieve the desired target mechanical properties for reentrant auxetic metamaterials. The GEKKO optimization package in Python is used for optimizing the geometry of auxetic lattice structures. Several mechanical properties including Poisson’s ratio, relative Young’s modulus, relative yield stress, and relative energy absorption capability, as well as the noted properties normalized with respect to relative density and relative Young’s modulus are chosen for being minimized or maximized. ANSYS finite element package is also implemented for validation of the results obtained from the optimization algorithm. According to the results, to achieve the maximum magnitude of Poisson’s ratio (positive and negative), the size of the unit cell in the lateral direction must be selected to be maximum and the thickness must become minimum. Moreover, to achieve the maximum value of the relative Young’s modulus or energy absorption in any direction, the size of the unit cell in that direction must be maximized. Also, to achieve the maximum amount of relative yield stress in both directions, the unit cell must have a maximum thickness and an internal angle close to zero.

Elastic constants of iron base sintered alloys after chemical heat treatment

In this paper is shown the effect of applied low-temperature gas nitrocarburizing on the elastic constants and mechanical properties of iron based sintered alloys. Low temperature gas nitrocarburizing (LTGNC) was carried out under laboratory conditions at T=550oC, and short saturation times of 15 and 30 min, respectively. The process was carried out in a laboratory shaft furnace with a volume of 2 dm3, in ammonia and carbon dioxide at an HN3/CO2=7.5/1 ratio. The elastic constants were determined using a standard dynamic methodology based on a pulse resonance method. Density and porosity of the samples were determined. A metallographic analysis of the microstructure after sintering and after chemical heat treatment was carried out.

Synthesis and characterization of a dithiodiglycolic acid-incorporated poly(glycerol sebacate) exhibiting lipase resistance and antibacterial properties

Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), a crosslinked network synthesized by polycondensation of glycerol and sebacic acid, has found successful utilization in various tissue engineering applications because of its biocompatibility, ease of synthesis, surface-erosion biodegradability, rubber-like elasticity, and adjustable mechanical properties. However, its fast in vivo degradation and lack of intrinsic antibacterial activity may be a concern for specific applications. The functional groups of glycerol and sebacic acid can react with those of other monomers, offering unlimited possibilities for generating new crosslinked networks tailored for particular purposes. Herein, we synthesized a series of poly(glycerol sebacate dithiodiglycolate) (PGSDTG) by incorporation of dithiodiglycolic acid (DTG) in the synthesis of PGS. PGSDTG exhibited reduced stiffness, sensitivity to glutathione (GSH), resistance to lipase degradation, and inhibition of bacterial adhesion and growth. The PGSDTG containing 45.6 wt% of DTG exhibited the lowest degradation rate with more than 80 wt% of PGSDTG remained at day 28 and the lowest bacterial inactivation rates of 99.2 ± 0.5 % and 82.5 ± 11.0 % against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. This study suggested that PGSDTG may serve as a suitable antibacterial scaffold material for repairing or regenerating tissues characterized by a slow healing rate.

Material strengths of shear-induced platelet aggregation clots and coagulation clots

Arterial occlusion by thrombosis is the immediate cause of some strokes, heart attacks, and peripheral artery disease. Most prior studies assume that coagulation creates the thrombus. However, a contradiction arises as whole blood (WB) clots from coagulation are too weak to stop arterial blood pressures (> 150 mmHg). We measure the material mechanical properties of elasticity and ultimate strength for Shear-Induced Platelet Aggregation (SIPA) type clots, that form under stenotic arterial hemodynamics in comparison with coagulation clots. The ultimate strength of SIPA clots averaged 4.6 ± 1.3 kPa, while WB coagulation clots had a strength of 0.63 ± 0.3 kPa (p < 0.05). The elastic modulus of SIPA clots was 3.8 ± 1.5 kPa at 1 Hz and 0.5 mm displacement, or 2.8 times higher than WB coagulation clots (1.3 ± 1.2 kPa, p < 0.0001). This study shows that the SIPA thrombi, formed quickly under high shear hemodynamics, is seven-fold stronger and three-fold stiffer compared to WB coagulation clots. A force balance calculation shows a SIPA clot has the strength to resist arterial pressure with a short length of less than 2 mm, consistent with coronary pathology.

Site-specific elastic and viscoelastic biomechanical properties of healthy and osteoarthritic human knee joint articular cartilage

Articular cartilage exhibits site-specific biomechanical properties. However, no study has comprehensively characterized site-specific cartilage properties from the same knee joints at different stages of osteoarthritis (OA).Cylindrical osteochondral explants (n = 381) were harvested from donor-matched lateral and medial tibia, lateral and medial femur, patella, and trochlea of cadaveric knees (N = 17). Indentation test was used to measure the elastic and viscoelastic mechanical properties of the samples, and Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) grading system was used to categorize the samples into normal (OARSI 0–1), early OA (OARSI 2–3), and advanced OA (OARSI 4–5) groups.OA-related changes in cartilage mechanical properties were site-specific. In the lateral and medial tibia and trochlea sites, equilibrium, instantaneous and dynamic moduli were higher (p < 0.001) in normal tissue than in early and advanced OA tissue. In lateral and medial femur, equilibrium, instantaneous and dynamic moduli were smaller in advanced OA, but not in early OA, than in normal tissue. The phase difference (0.1–0.25 Hz) between stress and strain was significantly smaller (p < 0.05) in advanced OA than in normal tissue across all sites except medial tibia.Our results indicated that in contrast to femoral and patellar cartilage, equilibrium, instantaneous and dynamic moduli of the tibia and trochlear cartilage decreased in early OA. These may suggest that the tibia and trochlear cartilage degrades faster than the femoral and patellar cartilage. The information is relevant for developing site-specific computational models and engineered cartilage constructs.

Injectable Mesh-Like Conductive Hydrogel Patch for Elimination of Atrial Fibrillation.

Irregular electrical impulses in atrium are the leading cause of atrial fibrillation (AF), resulting in fatal arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. Traditional medication and physical therapies are widely used, but generally suffer problems in serious physical damage and high surgical risks. Flexible and soft implants have great potential to be a novel approach for heart diseases therapy. A conductive hydrogel-based mesh cardiac patch is developed for application in AF elimination. The designed mesh patch with rhombic-shaped structure exhibits excellent flexibility, surface conformability, and deformation compliance, making it fit well with heart surface and accommodate to the deformation during heart beating. Moreover, the mechanical elastic and shape-memory properties of the mesh patch enable a minimally invasive injection of the patch into living animals. The mesh patch is implanted on the atrium surface for one month, indicating good biocompatibility and stability. Furthermore, the conductive patch can effectively eliminate AF owing to the conductivity and high charge storage capability (CSC) of the hydrogel. The proposed scheme of cardiac bioelectric signal modulation using conductive hydrogel brings new possibility for the treatment of arrhythmia diseases.

Elastic properties and compressive mechanical behaviour of closed-cell porous materials: Effect of microstructural morphology

This paper studies the effect of different combinations of morphological parameters of porous closed-cell materials on their elastic properties and mechanical behaviour. Three-dimensional representative volumes of porous media with different polyhedral void shapes are investigated, considering variation of statistical realisations of morphological features, such as shape, size and distribution of pores. Description of morphology of each investigated representative volume is formalized using second- and fourth-order correlation functions. The effective properties of representative volumes are calculated with finite-element analysis. Additionally, samples of the studied models were additively manufactured with polystyrene, using fused filament fabrication (FFF/FDM) 3D-printing technique, and subjected to compression. Experimental results for elastic mechanical properties and distributions of strain fields on the surface of the samples, obtained with micro-DIC (digital image correlation), are compared with results of numerical finite-element computations. This is accompanied by analysis of internal-stress distributions to assess the mechanical state of the structures. Patterns and trends observed in mechanical responses of porous materials depending on their different morphological parameters are outlined and discussed.