Interaction of a shock wave with a closed cell aluminum metal foam

The present investigation examines the interaction of shock waves with closed cell aluminum foam samples in a conventional shock tube. The effect of the sample thickness on shock wave attenuation and/or enhancement and the use of the foam in the sandwich structure is studied. Results in terms of incident and reflected shock pressures are obtained, and the effectiveness of the samples with and without the foam is compared. It is demonstrated that the foam density and thickness, as well as the placement of cover plates of the same material in front of and behind the foam have the most significant effect on the reflected shock pressure. It is concluded that the closed cell aluminum metal foam can be effectively used as a sacrificial layer in blast protection of structures.