Closed-cell aluminium foams were fabricated and characterised at different strain rates. Quasi-static and high strain rate experimental compression testing was performed using a universal servo-hydraulic testing machine and powder gun. The experimental results show a large influence of strain rate hardening on mechanical properties, which contributes to significant quasi-linear enhancement of energy absorption capabilities at high strain rates. The results of experimental testing were further used for the determination of critical deformation velocities and validation of the proposed computational model. A simple computational model with homogenised crushable foam material model shows good correlation between the experimental and computational results at analysed strain rates. The computational model offers efficient (simple, fast and accurate) analysis of high strain rate deformation behaviour of a closed-cell aluminium foam at different loading velocities.

Mg alloys are extensively used in various automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications. Their limited corrosion resistance can be enhanced by welding a thin Al plate onto the alloy surface. In this study, we perform the explosive welding of a thin Al plate, accelerated by the detonation of an explosive through a gelatin layer as a pressure-transmitting medium, onto two Mg alloy samples: Mg₉₆Zn₂Y₂ alloy containing a long-period stacking ordered phase in an α-Mg matrix and commercial AZ31. The bonding interface is characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron probe microanalysis. Under moderate experimental conditions, the thin Al plates are successfully welded onto the Mg alloys, showing typical wavy interfaces without intermediate layers. Due to the decreased energetic condition corresponding to the use of a thin flyer plate and gelatin medium, the resulting bonding quality is better than that obtained using a regular explosive welding technique. Further, based on the well-known window for explosive welding, we estimate that the experimental conditions for successful bonding are close to the lower welding limit for a thin Al plate with the two Mg alloys considered. These findings may contribute to improving the quality of materials welded with explosive welding.