Compressive mechanical test and numerical simulation via finite element modeling have been employed on closed-cell copper-matrix nanocomposite foams reinforced by alumina particles. The FE analysis purpose was to modelling the foam deformation behavior under compressive loading and to investigate the correlation between material characteristics and the compressive mechanical behavior. Exploring this, several foam samples with different conditions were manufactured and compression test was carried out on the samples. Scanning electron microscopy and image analysis have been performed on the foam samples to obtain the required data for the numerical simulation. The stress-strain curves exhibited plateau stress between 18 and 112.5 MPa and energy absorption in the range of 20.03- 51.20MJ/m3 for the foams with different relative densities. The foams exhibited enhanced mechanical properties to an optimum value, as a consequence of increasing the reinforcing nanoparticles, through both experimental tests and numerical simulation data. Also, the validated model of copper-matrix nanocomposite foams has been used to probe stress distribution in the foams. In addition, the results obtained by numerical simulation via ABAQUS CAE finite element modeling provided support for experimental test results. This confirmed that FEM is a favorable technique for predicting mechanical properties of nanocomposite copper foams.

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