The correct analysis of shocks in a cellular material

Cellular materials have applications for impact and blast protection. Under impact/impulsive loading the response of the cellular solid can be controlled by compaction (or shock, see Tan et al. (2005) ) waves. Different analytical and computational solutions have been produced to model this behaviour but these solutions provide conflicting predictions for the response of the material in certain loading scenarios. The different analytical approaches are discussed using two simple examples for clarity. The differences between apparently similar “models” are clarified. In particular, it is argued that mass-spring models are not capable of modelling the discontinuities that exist in a compaction wave in a cellular material.