Experimental and numerical analyses were performed on porous aluminum samples to evaluate microstructure and mechanical properties. Experiments consisted of tensile tests on dog-bone specimens containing 9 to 17% porosity, which were instrumented with axial and transverse extensometers. Properties measured included Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, proportional limit, 0.2% offset yield strength, and ultimate tensile strength. Results indicated that Young's modulus and all strengths decreased with increasing porosity, but Poisson's ratio remained constant with porosity. For the numerical simulations, 3-D, mesoscale, multilayer models were constructed to evaluate the effects of pore morphology and interactions on material properties. The models allowed systematic spatial positioning of the pore within the cell and the ability to form solid zones. Pore arrangement, the effect of constraint, and gradients on the stress state were investigated. By using different combinations of hex cells as building blocks, several complicated microstructural arrangements were simulated.
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