PERFORMANCE OF EXPANDED POLYMER CUSHION MATERIALS AT LESS THAN ONE INCH IN THICKNESS

The purpose of this work is to determine whether peak acceleration values can be predicted from existing cushion curves for polymeric materials with thicknesses less than one inch. The secondary purpose is to determine whether the stress energy method of cushion testing can be applied to polymeric foams with thicknesses less than one inch. Cushion curves were created from materials greater than one inch in thickness and from materials less than one inch in thickness. The curves were compared using three methods; linear regression, comparison of cushion curves by ASTM allowable difference between curves and comparison of predicted acceleration values to actual recorded acceleration values. The curves were found to be statistically different from each other using linear regression. The curves were also found to be different according to ASTM methods of comparing cushion curves. Finally, the predicted acceleration values were significantly different that the actual recorded acceleration values