Measurement and identification of dynamic properties of flexible polyurethane foam

Experimental techniques and identification of dynamic properties of flexible polyurethane foam used in automotive seats are described here. In the experimental fixture a rigid block is mounted on a 3 inch cube of foam material, which serves as the only flexible component. The dynamic system is modeled as a single degree-of-freedom system. The experimental fixture is excited by a small impulse at the top of the block and by a shaker on the basement. For the first situation the foam is simplified as a linear viscoelastic material. By exciting with the shaker the nonlinear and viscoelastic properties of foam materials are considered. For these two different cases not only the model response and the impact of model parameters are analyzed but also the corresponding system parameters are identified during the experimental data.