Bending of square aluminium extrusions with aluminium foam filler

experimental programme consisting of 24 tests was carried out to study the three-point-bending behavior of square AA6060 aluminium extrusions filled w ith aluminium foam under quasi-static loading conditions. The outer cross s ection width and span of the beams were kept constant at 80 mm and 800 mm, respectively. The main parameters investigated were the foam density, the e xtrusion wall strength and the extrusion wall thickness. The experiments sh owed that the foam filler significantly altered the local deformation patte rn of the beams. Simple design formulae were developed in order to predict the load bearing capacity of the foam filled beams.