A note on the modelling of foams using Voronoi technique

Previous researchers have used Voronoi honeycombs to represent and predict the responses of random foams. Often, a two-dimensional Voronoi honeycomb model is used and the results are regarded as being identical to those of actual foams, which are in fact three-dimensional. The present study focuses on possible performance difference and the intrinsic relationship between Voronoi honeycombs and foams. Geometrical models of Voronoi honeycombs and foams with different cell irregularities are generated. Their relative densities are first calculated and compared. Based on the geometric models and an idealised elastic perfectly plastic property for the parent material, finite element (FE) analysis is carried out, respectively, for the block of the cellular material under quasi-static compression between two rigid platens. Consequently, stress–strain relationships are obtained, and it is shown that a two-dimensional Voronoi model cannot always be adopted to represent a three-dimensional foam in studying the behaviour of cellular solids.