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In this study, the behaviour of elastic stress wave propagating two connected cylindrical bodies was examined using dynamic finite element method (FEM). They consist of two bodies with different cross-sectional area, different Young’s modulus and identical mechanical impedance. It was found that when an incident wave passes through the boundary step between two different cross-sectional areas, a pair of reflected waves which has the same amplitude and opposite sign was observed, despite the same mechanical impedance. This phenomenon appears to be caused by the loading and unloading the boundary section due to the arrival and the passage of incident wave. It was also found that a connection manner to insert the smaller diameter cylinder into the other cylinder with a little length is quite effective for the reduction of the reflected wave, because of the superposition of waves from two edges and control of local deformation. This phenomenon was verified by a series of impact experiments using two cylindrical bodies connected by interference fit.

Finite element models of closed-cell foam structures were created using the three-dimensional Voronoi tessellation method coupled with the random sequential addition algorithm. The dynamic compressive deformation behaviors of the models were numerically studied using LS-DYNA code. The deformation mode of the models changed gradually as the deformation rate increases. Also, the generation and the propagation of plastic wave was clearly observed with the rate of 100 m/s. The longitudinal elastic wave velocity showed a weak negative dependency on the deformation rate although the strain rate dependence of material properties was not considered. Furthermore, a prediction method for the dynamic stress state on the impact side based on the static stress-strain relationship was presented.

These days, polymer foams, such as polyurethane foam and polystyrene foam, are used in various situations as a thermal insulator or shock absorber. In general, however, their strength is insufficient in high temperature environments because of their low glass transition temperature. Polyimide is a polymer which has a higher glass transition temperature and high strength. Its mechanical properties do not vary greatly, even in low temperature environments. Therefore, polyimide foam is expected to be used in the aerospace industry. Thus, the constitutive equation of polyimide foam that can be applied across a wide range of strain rates and ambient temperature is very useful. In this study, a series of compression tests at various strain rates, from 10−3 to 103 s−1 were carried out in order to examine the effect of strain rate on the compressive properties of polyimide foam. The flow stress of polyimide foam increased rapidly at dynamic strain rates. The effect of ambient temperature on the properties of polyimide foam was also investigated at temperature from − 190 °C to 270°∘C. The flow stress decreased with increasing temperature.