Closed-cell aluminum foams with spherically-adjustable pores: Numerical and experimental investigation of effective parameters

Abstract

The study investigates the effects of pore diameter, pore spacing, and arrangement on the energy absorption ability of closed-cell aluminum foam. The optimal arrangement of pores for energy absorption was determined using experimental design and the finite element method. Aluminum 6063 with a simple cubic structure was found to be the most efficient at energy absorption, while aluminum 356 with a simple cubic structure was the least effective. As the load rate increased, the effect of the parameter t exceeded that of h in both structures. The response surface method’s proposed model was deemed effective, with the difference between experimental and predicted values around 15%–20%.