One-dimensional shock wave interaction with rubber and low-porosity foam

Abstract

One-dimensional interaction between a planar shock wave and a rubber or low-porosity foam is investigated experimentally and numerically. The considered polyurethane foam is of high density (ρ _c=290 kg/m³) and lowporosity (ϕ=0.76), and this corresponds to an intermediate condition between rubber and high-porosity foam. Stress-strain relations for the low-porosity foam are investigated by machine tests, which show larger deformation against compressive force and higher non-linearity in stress-strain curve as compared with rubber. Also the low-porosity foam shows a hysteresis cycle. Experiments on shock wave-foam interactions are conducted by using a shock tube. Experimental time history of the surface stress of the foam at the end of the shock tube does not show shock type stress increase, but continuous excessive stress rise can be seen, and then dumping vibration approaching to gas dynamic pressure of the reflected shock wave is followed, and the highest stress amounts about 3∼4 times of the pressure after the reflected gas dynamic shock wave. Interactive motions of gas and the low-porosity foam are analyzed using the Lagrangean coordinates system. An elastic model for a low-porosity foam is assumed to be a single elastic material with the measured stress-strain relation. Results of numerical simulations are compared with the shock tube experiments, which show essentially same stress variations with experimental results.