The mechanical properties (linear and nonlinear elastic and plastic) of two-dimensional cellular materials, or honeycombs, are analysed and compared with experiments. The properties are well described in terms of the bending, elastic buckling and plastic collapse of the beams that make up the cell walls.

The mechanics of three-dimensional cellular materials

The mechanical properties (elastic, plastic, creep, and fracture) of cellular solids or foams are related to the properties of the cell wall material and to the cell geometry The properties are well described by simple formulae Such materials occur widely in nature and have many potential engineering applications

The mechanical properties of cellular solids

Compressive response of open-cell foams. Part I: Morphology and elastic properties

▪ Abstract Metallic foams have a combination of properties that make them attractive for a number of engineering applications, including lightweight structural sandwich panels, energy absorption devices, and heat sinks. For many potential applications an understanding of the mechanical behavior of these foams is essential. Recently, there has been substantial progress in identifying the mechanisms of deformation and failure in metallic foams. Here, we summarize the current understanding of the elastic moduli, uniaxial strength, yield criterion, creep, and fatigue of metallic foams.

Mechanical Behavior of Metallic Foams

Deformation and energy absorption diagrams for cellular solids

Rigid plastic foams find application in construction mainly as core materials for loaded sandwich structures—in buildings, ground vehicles, and airplanes. This work provides an equation for the mechanical behavior of polyurethane foams as a function of foam density. Starting from a model conception and the qualitative microscopic consideration of the deformation and failure mechanism, simple relations are found for the tensile, compressive and shear strength and the elastic modulus, which sufficiently express the measured results.

G. Menges

Papers

Estimation of mechanical properties for rigid polyurethane foams