Characterization and modeling of stain-rate-dependent behavior of polymeric foams

A polymeric foam was characterized under quasi-static and dynamic loading and a constitutive model was proposed to describe its nonlinear behavior at varying strain rates. Four characteristic properties were identified in the compressive stress–strain curves: (1) yield stress, (2) peak or “critical” stress corresponding to collapse initiation of the cells, (3) plateau stress following the initial collapse of the cells, and (4) strain hardening stress at the end of the plateau region and before the onset of densification. All of the above characteristic stresses vary linearly with the logarithm of strain rate. A strain-based nonlinear constitutive model was proposed. A unified (master) constitutive model with built-in strain rate dependence was formulated and was shown to be in very good agreement with experimental results. The master stress–strain response was modeled in two parts, a power law and one consisting of two exponential terms.