Anisotropy in Elastic Properties of Porous 316L Stainless Steel Due to the Shape and Regular Cell Distribution

In this study, two-dimensional finite element modeling was used to study the simultaneous effect of the cell shape and regular cell distribution on the anisotropy of the elastic properties of 316L stainless steel foam. In this way, the uniaxial compressive stress-strain curve was predicted using a geometric model and fully solid 316L stainless steel. The results showed that the elastic tangent and the yield strength increase significantly if the direction of the loading is parallel to the major cell dimension. Besides, the regular cell distribution affects the above properties, and the sharp drop in the mechanical properties is observed when the maximum shear stress plane is parallel with the plane including higher cell density. In addition, the finite element modeling showed that the elastic properties of porous 316L stainless steel are anisotropic and the optimum conditions depend entirely on the shape of the cells and the loading direction in the regular cell distribution foam.