Weight-balanced drop test method for characterization of dynamic properties of cellular materials

A novel weight-balanced drop rig used to evaluate the response of cellular materials subject to dynamic compression is presented. The testing method utilizes approximately constant velocity throughout the major part of the compression phase and the results compare well with results from other methods, reported in the literature. The repetitiveness is excellent, the rig is simple and the results are easily extracted. The applicability of the method for determination of elastic modulus is however limited to materials with relatively low stiffness. Accurate modulus measurements for stiff materials at high strain-rates require a very rigid and lightweight test set-up.