Constitutive modelling of polymeric foams (EPC.7345)

The macroscopic constitutive behaviour of polymer foams is the result of a subtle interplay between the intrinsic material behaviour of the polymer basis-material and the complex microstructure that is present in the foams. The objective of this project is to improve the current constitutive models for polymeric foams using a micromechanical approach. This approach is based on a combination of three-dimensional experimental characterisation, automatic 3D mesh generation based on these scans, advanced constitutive equations for the constituent polymeric materials and micromechanical and multi-scale modelling techniques to predict the macroscopic response.

Because of their energy-absorbing properties and low weight, foamed materials are widely used in safety applications by the automotive industry. The goal of this project is to improve the predictive capabilities of current simulation tools for energy absorbing materials. These advanced material models will increase the reliability and accuracy of numerical simulations for polymeric foam applications. Furthermore, the developed micromechanical models can be employed for optimisation of the microstructure of foams for a specific application. Both aspects are expected to lead to a strong improvement of traffic safety.