A mechanical model of cellular solids for energy absorption

Several phenomenological models of the stress-strain characteristics of foams have been proposed in the recent years, for example in [1] to describe the whole compression behavior, from small values of strain to densification, for several polymeric foams such as EPP and EPS. The authors also identified the influence of the density on the material parameters to obtain a generic model of foams for design purposes and material selection. The work analyzed some different aluminum based foams used for energy absorption in terms of a new general model. Experimental tests in compression have been used to identify the proposed model. This will constitute a valuable tool for design of components devoted to the energy absorption in crash events and packaging for the protection of goods.