Static load dispersion analysis of solid–air composites: Effect of adhesive film on the load dispersion

In order to propose a new movement of the material design, the load dispersion of the solid–air composites caused by the hydrostatic pressures is investigated by applying numerical analysis. To simplify the evaluation of the load dispersion, the solid–air load transmission is supposed, where each mechanical field of closed cell is independent and that two different fields being in both sides of a cell wall satisfy the equilibrium of forces through the cell wall. The nonlinear deformation under indentation was incrementally simulated by using the finite element formulation based on displacement method. The effect of adhesive film on the load dispersion is considered in the numerical model. It was shown that the assumption of the solid–air load transmission is useful in evaluating the static load dispersion because the numerical results were well in agreement with the experimental ones. And it was clarified that a few structural design parameters become effective for the load dispersion.