Dynamic Response of EPS Foam in Packaging: Experimental Tests and Constitutive Modeling.

Abstract

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is widely used in energy-absorbing structures for packaging applications; however, its mechanical behavior under dynamic loading conditions remains insufficiently characterized. To address this, the dynamic responses of EPS foam used in television packaging were first examined experimentally through drop tests. Building on these findings, a rate-sensitive constitutive model was developed to incorporate tensile damage mechanisms and tension-compression asymmetry, enabling unified modeling of both tensile and compressive deformation in complex structural applications. The proposed model was calibrated using standardized tension, compression, and shear tests, and subsequently employed to simulate three-point bending and dynamic compression scenarios involving EPS foam components. The simulation results demonstrated favorable agreement with experimental observations, confirming the accuracy and robustness of the proposed constitutive model in predicting the dynamic mechanical behavior of EPS foam.