Polymeric foams are widely used in different industries such as automotive, aviation and
military due to their wide density range, high specific strength, strong ability to absorb impact
loads, and good thermal insulation properties [1-2]. In this study, taking advantage of 3D
imaging technology based on X-ray computed tomography (CT), in-situ compression tests
were carried out to explore the global and local deformation behaviour of open cell
polyurethane foams. Different strain levels were recorded and relevant images reconstructed
from x-ray CT during the in-situ tests. To better understand the deformation behaviour of the
interior structure of foams under uniaxial loading, an advanced CT image-based finite
element model was used, providing a non-destructive and non-invasive way to study the real
internal structure of the foam for different loading stages [3]. The finite element models of the
foam microstructure for each strain level were generated from images obtained by X-ray CT
by applying level set method (LSM) and Delaunay triangulation (DT). Moreover, in order to
improve the mesh quality of the FE models and calculation accuracy, Taubin smoothing
algorithm was utilized. Then, numerical simulations on the smoothed mesh were implemented
to compare with the experimental tests and understand deformation process occurring during
compression. Good agreement was observed between the deformations obtained by
simulations and in-situ compression experiments at different strain levels. Morphological
features of deformed models at different strain level were identified. Three main features
were analysed in this study, namely: strut length, strut thickness and strut orientation. The
comparison of these features for different deformation stages was carried out. The results
suggest that large amounts of cells collapse during the compression process. Under uniaxial
stress, the open-cell foam deforms by struts bending followed, at sufficiently large loads, by
nonlinear deformation within the struts. The deformation behaviour of the interior structure
strongly depends on the initial orientation and thickness of struts
