Abstract
Closed cell polyurethane foams with densities of 100, 140 and 325 kg/m3 were tested in compression at speeds from 0.6 to 500 mm/min. Digital image correlation (DIC) is used to determine the engineering characteristic curve, modulus of elasticity, maximum stress, and the deformation bands that appear during deformation and prior to the final failure of the specimens. By using this procedure both global and local phenomena are observed and analyzed. While each specimen is compressed, the damage behaviour of the foams is directly observed in different stages.
Keywords: polyurethane foam; compression; speed of testing; digital image correlation; recovery