Identification of material properties of foam used in motorcyclist protective equipment based on obtained experimental data and optimization algorithm

Abstract

This article deals with the material parameters identification of foam used in motorcyclist protective equipment, such as a shoulder pad. Experiments, namely a compression, a tension and an impact test were performed to obtain source and target data. The low-density foam material model was selected to characterize the foam. The material model was used in the finite element simulation. The numerical simulation of the impact test was used for an optimization. The parameters of the model were identified using an evolutionary algorithm in the optiSLang 3.0 software. The obtained material model will be used for the simulation of the standard test of protectors consisting of the foam used in motorcyclist protective equipment.

Effect of Accelerated Ageing on the Mechanical and Structural Properties of the Material System Used in Protectors

“…Currently, a wide range of materials that are capable of absorbing a significant amount of impact energy and designed for the motorcyclists is available [4]. It should be ensured that material systems, especially shock-absorbing protectors, have the required impact resistance and mechanical properties and that their aesthetic merits are not significantly diminished [5,6,7,8]. During the use and the storage of these materials, their properties can deteriorate due to external aging factors, so it is important that the polymers are impact resistant in the long term [9].…”