4. Mechanical characterization of porous materials

Historically, natural porous materials such as corks and sponges aroused the curiosity of scientists very early on, as illustrated by R. Hooke's microscopic observations in his 1664 monograph [33] . Since then, the engineering sciences, inspired by these mechanically optimized structures (the ratio of stiffness to density is significantly increased), have enabled the evolution of terrestrial architecture that we know today, and above all the rapid development of aeronautics with composite materials (honeycomb structures, for example) [34] . Finally, the recent advent of plastic materials has enabled the production of artificial porous materials such as plastic foams (or fibrous materials), which are widely used in industrial applications as acoustic absorbers...