Construction and deformation behavior of metal foam based on a 3D-Voronoi model with real pore structure

[Display omitted] •The proposed model of aluminum foam with random wall thickness is based on 3D-Voronoi.•The influence of gradient structure and pore uniformity on the properties of aluminum foam is investigated.•The deformation mechanism of aluminum foam with varying wall thickness under quasi-static compression is examined. This paper proposed a 3D-Voronoi aluminum foam model with randomly varying cell wall thickness was proposed and its implementation process was based on real porous metal foam using graphical parametric design tools. The effects of variations in cell wall thickness, defect size, and density gradient on the load-bearing properties and deformation behavior were investigated, while simulating crack propagation during three-point bending deformation. A comparison and analysis of the deformation modes and stress–strain curves between experimental and simulation results were conducted. The findings demonstrate that matrix structure and pore uniformity are crucial in influencing the foam properties. Increasing the cell wall thickness can enhance the load-bearing properties of aluminum foam under identical loads. By adjusting the gradient configuration and inducing pore defects, it was possible to modify the foam structure's deformation mode and mechanical properties.