Compression performances of integral-forming aluminum foam sandwich

In this study, Integral-Forming Method (IFM) of preparing aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) has been developed based on traditional melt foaming method which possesses the advantages of simple process, wide product size range and low production cost, etc. Quasi-static compression performances of the integral-forming aluminum foam sandwich (IFAFS) were evaluated by combination of experiment and finite element simulation. Real FE three-dimensional model which completely reflected the structures of IFAFS was built for the first time. Meanwhile, based on the real FE model, deformation modes and collapse mechanism of IFAFS under different loading conditions were obtained. Johnson-Cook constitutive model was used to make simulation process more accurate. The results showed that IFAFS possessed relatively high porosity, small pore diameter and homogeneous pore distribution. Loading direction and porosity were main influencing factors of their compression performances. Global collapse modes exhibited papilionaceous collapse and wedge collapse under vertical and horizontal loadings. Prediction curve by FE simulation matched well with experimental data. Post-processing results indicated that for IFAFS with similar porosities different loading directions lead to different stress distribution on solid panels, different collapse and deformation modes of the pore and global structures.