Characterization of Fatigue Fractures in Closed-Cell Aluminum Foam Using x-ray Micro-Computed Tomography

A post-mortem study of Alporas closed-cell aluminum foam specimens previously failed under strain-controlled fully reversed tension-compression fatigue was conducted using x-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT). Volumetric renders of the 3D structure of the material were produced. Fractures were identified and marked throughout voxel-based images of the specimens. This produced a 3D plot of fracture locations. At high strain amplitudes (0.175-0.5%), fractures formed an interconnected planar zone oriented approximately perpendicular to the loading axis; typically, the angle of the plane differed from that of a tension failure. Conversely, at low strain amplitudes (0.05-0.1%), short fractures have been formed diffusely within the specimen. In both cases, observed fractures were tortuous. Our previous work with surface strain mapping via digital image correlation (DIC) suggested that for all strain amplitudes, a crack, evidenced by a zone of high extensile strain, was formed and propagated through the material. This result was confirmed at high strain amplitudes, but not at low strain amplitudes. The discrepancy is attributed to three potential causes. Using DIC, short cracks cannot be accurately resolved with relatively coarse light intensity patterns. DIC images indicate fractures under load, while μCT imaging was conducted under zero load. Finally, the localized extension seen in DIC images could be attributed to strain with no resultant fractures.