A new research project at the Siegen Chair of Solid Mechanics is simulating the damping behavior of elastomer foams.
Due to their structure-dependent and therefore individually adjustable deformation behavior, foamed elastomers have a wide range of applications in various branches of industry,
for example in components of sealing, thermal insulation and soundproofing systems. While computer-based design methods have given these systems an enormous development boost in the last decade
during development, the requirement profiles have been continuously expanded so that today the damping properties of externally induced mechanical vibrations (structure-borne noise) are also taken into account.
In a new project at the chair of Solid Mechanics by Kerstin Weinberg from the University of Siegen, the influence of the microstructure on the dynamic material behavior of elastomer foams is now being systematically investigated. The research project of the Industriellen Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) is funded by Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz with 400.000 euros. In addition to the Siegen scientists, the Deutsches Institut für Kautschuktechnologie (DIK) in Hanover is also involved as a second research institution. A special feature of the IGF projects is that small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) are also directly involved in the project. This gives SME easy access to practice-oriented research and thereby strengthens the competitiveness of medium-sized companies.
The mechanical properties of a foamed elastomer depend on both, the matrix material and the microstructure. With increasing porosity, the influence of the microstructure on the mechanical deformation behavior increases. With experimental investigations on conventional elastomer samples from industry and additively manufactured foam structures, material and structural parameters can be determined and the coupled material behavior can be simulated with computer-based methods using the finite element method (FEM). For application-oriented FEM simulations with commercial software, which are widely used in the digitized component design process of SME, simple material models are required that nevertheless reflect reality. However, the industry currently lacks such practical models for elastomer foams.
Two modeling approaches are being pursued as part of the project: A phenomenological approach, which is characterized by particularly low computing times and a continuum mechanical approach, which requires no further experimental effort when modifying the foam structure. At the end of the project, real component simulations from the fields of application of the participating SME will be carried out and tested experimentally using the material models developed.
