Compressive deformation and energy absorption characteristics of closed cell aluminum-fly ash particle composite foam

Deformation response and energy absorption characteristics of closed cell aluminum-fly ash particle composite foam have been assessed under compressive loading at different strain rates (10−2 to 101 s−1). The investigated foams were made by melt route using CaH2 as foaming agent. The influence of strain rate on the deformation responses is found to be very marginal; within the domain considered in the present study, and the strain rate sensitivity was measured to be very low and varying in the range of 0.02–0.04 when the foam relative density is greater than 0.1. The plateau stress, and energy absorption increase significantly following power law relationship with relative density; whereas the densification strain is almost invariant to the relative density. The strain rate sensitivity of the investigated material was found to be negative when the foam relative density is less than 0.1.