Numerical modeling of brittle mineral foam in a sacrificial cladding under blast loading

Cellular materials, such as aluminum foams, have proven to be excellent energy absorbents. They can used crushable core in sacrificial cladding (SC) for blast load mitigation. In this study, the absorption capacity of a brittle mineral foam-based SC is investigated through finite element modeling using LS-DYNA software. The experimental set-up consists rigid steel frame with square cavity 300 mm x center structure protected simulated by thin plate clamped into frame. generated 20 g C4 high explosive set at distance 250 from plate. considered evaluated comparing maximum out-of-plane displacement and without protective foam. presence foam reduces least factor two. modeled both solid elements smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) Fu Chang's constitutive material law based exclusively on results quasi-static compression tests phenomenological relationship between stress, strain rate. SPH model predicts an average relative error 5% respect values.