Accurate material models are fundamental to predictive structural finite element models. Because potting foams are routinely used to mitigate shock and vibration of encapsulated components in electro/mechanical systems, accurate material models of foams are needed. A linear-viscoelastic foam constitutive model has been developed to represent the foam's stiffness and damping throughout an application space defined by temperature, strain rate or frequency and strain level. Validation of this linear-viscoelastic model, which is integrated into the Salinas structural dynamics code, is being achieved by modeling and testing a series of structural geometries of increasing complexity that have been designed to ensure sensitivity to material parameters. Both experimental and analytical uncertainties are being quantified to ensure the fair assessment of model validity. Quantitative model validation metrics are being developed to provide a means of comparison for analytical model predictions to observations made in the experiments. This paper is one of several recent papers documenting the validation process for simple to complex structures with foam encapsulated components. This paper specifically focuses on model validation over a wide temperature range and using a simple dumbbell structure for modal testing and simulation. Material variations of density and modulus have been included. A double blind validation process is described that brings together test data with model predictions.
A detailed model validation study has been initiated to assess model predictions of foam encapsulated components. A bottom-up experimental approach has been used to first characterize the foam material, and then characterize foam/component interaction within increasingly complex systems. This paper presents a summary of the model validation approach at component and benchmark levels and details specific issues identified at the subsystem validation level. Specifically, manufacturing process issues were identified in the hardware which precluded continued validation. A summary of the modal data is given and the issues relating to the manufacturing process are discussed.