In this study, a homogenization analysis of foam materials to consider the microscopic structure was conducted. This analysis allows the establishment of a design method for porous polymer for sports equipment. A foam material was defined as a material which has a periodical microscopic structure. Deformation of the microscopic structure was uniform, and microscopic periodicity was kept under finite deformation. The polymer matrix was assumed to have incompressible hyperelasticity, which was represented by the Mooney-Rivlin model. An original 3-dimensional simulation program was developed. Uniaxial tensile tests using foam materials were conducted to investigate the effect of porosity on mechanical characteristics. Specimen porosities were 26%, 61%, 66%, and 76%, and pore shape was nearly spherical under microscope observation. The simulation model also had periodic and equally-sized pores. Uniform deformation and periodic boundary condition were applied to the unit cell. The applicability of the proposed method for foam materials was shown by comparing the numerical simulation with the mechanical loading test results.
The Proceedings of Joint Symposium: Symposium on Sports Engineering, Symposium on Human Dynamics
