Hollow sphere structures: a study of mechanical behaviour using numerical simulation

Abstract

One way to obtain a cellular metal with a uniform microstructure is to employ hollow metallic spheres welded or bonded. Such materials are known as MHSS (Metallic Hollow Sphere Structures). Cellular metals can be applied as crash absorbers that act in compression and can be severely deformed. Thus, finite deformations and damage must be considered in the numerical simulation. In this work, the numerical simulation via finite elements is employed to study the mechanical behaviour of MHSS. The study employs the concept of RVE (Representative Volume Elements) where a cell is used to represent the whole material behaviour. Numerical results are compared with experimental data.