Finite element analysis for the influence of the closed-cell aluminum foams compression performance with internal defects

Aluminum foam is a new metal material made of aluminum or aluminum alloy frame with a large amounts of bubbles. Its compression performance is largely influenced by internal defects and structural parameters. The 3D models of closed-cell aluminum foam was built and simulated by using the software of Deform-3D discussing the effects of the internal defects and structural parameters on the compression performance. The results show that in the quasi-static compression process, the yield strength of closed-cell aluminum foam decreases with the increase of porosity; and with the same porosity, the platform stress of closed-cell aluminum foams decreases with pore size increasing; cracks, holes and other defects, to some extent, reduce the mechanical properties of aluminum foam, especially the stress generally focused on the defect. The main deformation of closed-cell aluminum foam during compression loading direction is parallel to the walls of the hole compression-based, at the junction of the stress in the cell wall is relatively concentrated with the load increasing, which occurs at the junction of plastic yielding or fracture failure.