The Effects of Various Adhesives on Multiple Types of Quasi‐Static Mechanical Properties of Rectangular and Square Aluminum Hollow Sections Filled with Composite Metal Foam Cores

Abstract

For composite metal foam structures to be used as load‐bearing and energy‐absorbing elements, comprehensive testing should be done. Therefore, an extensive characterization of foam‐filled structures by various load types, such as axial and lateral compression, as well as three‐point bending, is carried out, aiming to differentiate the behavior of various cross‐sectional geometry foam‐filled hollow sections and the application of a tough epoxy adhesive and a ductile polysiloxane adhesive. Applying the epoxy adhesive improves the overall energy absorption by 10 % during axial compression compared to the sum of the foam and empty hollow section. The application of the polysiloxane adhesive over the epoxy one increases the deflection at failure during three‐point bending by an average of 58 %. The deformation and strength during axial compression and three‐point bending are hollow section dominated, while the foam core dominates the deformation and the strength during lateral compression for both produced composite foam‐filled hollow sections with epoxy and polysiloxane adhesive bonding.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.