A simplified decoupled methodology for predicting the blast response of foam-cladded structures

Metallic foams are increasingly used as sacrificial cladding for blast protection due to their exceptional energy absorption and low density. Fully coupled analyses based on shock front theory to model the coupled foam compaction and structural response offer accurate predictions of the displacement-time histories, but require significant computational resources and specialized numerical algorithms. This study proposes a simplified, decoupled analytical approach that separates foam compaction analysis from structural response, greatly reducing computational complexity. The method incorporates established analytical solutions by including initial velocity conditions, and effectively handles foams with spatially varying densities through discretization into uniform-density layers, where each layer is solved analytically. Moreover, dynamically adjusting the mass parameter during foam compaction significantly improves the accuracy. A comprehensive comparison with fully coupled numerical simulations validates the reliability of the proposed methodology, demonstrating minimal deviations suitable for practical engineering applications. This approach facilitates rapid protective design iterations and structural optimization, making it a valuable tool for engineers analyzing diverse foam configurations under various blast scenarios.