Implementation of a Constitutive Model for Aluminum Foam Including Fracture and Statistical Variation of Density

An existing constitutive model applicable to aluminum foam was implemented in LS-DYNA. One main objective in the present project was to implement a model that could handle fracture in the foam. Therefore, two simple fracture criteria were also implemented in the model. Additionally, the possibility to include initial statistical variation of the foam density was incorporated in the model so that inhomogeneities in the foam properties could be represented. Foam subjected to both simple and more complex loading conditions where fracture was of varying importance have been analyzed, and some representative results and comparisons with experimental data are presented. The implemented model is efficient and robust, and gives good results. The model including one of the fracture criteria and without the possibility of statistical variation of density is at present available in version 970 of LS-DYNA.