Mechanical properties of the aluminum foam-filled tubes

Abstract

The research focuses on lightweight structures filled with cellular (porous) metals. Initially, their design and fabrication procedures are described. Aluminum alloy tubes of different shapes were filled {in-situ and ex-situ) with different aluminum alloy foams (e.g., open and closed-cell foams). They were subjected to mechanical loading in an extensive experimental testing program. Different types of loading (e.g., compression, bending) and velocity (e.g., quasi-static, dynamic) were considered. The deformation response, including the collapse mechanism of the foam-filled structures, has been analyzed in detail. The mechanical properties, energy absorption capacity, and strain rate sensitivity were also evaluated. It was found that the lightweight aluminum foam-filled tubes offer a stable crush performance and that their mechanical properties and deformation mechanism can be tuned for specific applications.