Abstract: The protective performance of foam aluminum-Al composite structures with different densities and thicknesses are investigated with conventional and improved split Hopkinson pressure bars (SHPB). The experimental results demonstrate that, when foam Aluminum is used as interlayer, the primary stress wave is divided into several stress waves. The time of stress wave arriving at a back plate is postponed, and the wave intensity decreases. The impact of stress wave decreases more clearly with the increase in thickness of interlayer. When foam aluminum-Al composite structure is used as faceplate, the pulse width broadens, the rising edge is improved, and the wave intensity reduces. At the same time, the foam aluminum-Al composite structures can absorb a large part of impact energy, which can be served as stress wave protective material. With the increase in thickness and relative density of the foam aluminum, the wave shaping effect is more significant. The wave intensity reduces, the rising slop becomes flat, however the stress wave pulse changes little. The influence of Al plate thickness on composite structure can be ignored.

Key words: metallic material, foam Aluminum composite structure, stress wave protective performance, relative density