EVA Foam Rebound Resilience: ASTM D3574 Test H Guide and Data Chart

EVA foam rebound resilience (or “rebound ratio”) is the percentage of impact energy a foam returns after being struck, measured by dropping a 16 mm / 16.3 g steel ball from a 500 mm height onto the foam and recording how high it bounces back. The governing standard for flexible EVA foam is ASTM D3574 Test H (identical to ISO 8307); typical EVA values range from 30 % to 65 %, controlled by foam density and vinyl-acetate (VA) content.

If you spec EVA foam for shoe midsoles, sports padding, protective packaging, or vibration mounts, the rebound value tells you how much of an impact comes back as bounce versus how much is absorbed. This guide explains the correct test standard (a common point of confusion), the exact Test H procedure, the relationship between density / VA% and rebound, and how to write a rebound specification on a purchase order so a supplier like Damao Tech delivers material that actually performs.

What Is Rebound Resilience?

Rebound resilience is a direct measurement of a foam’s elasticity — how efficiently it stores and returns the kinetic energy of an impact. It is expressed as a percentage:

$$ \text{Rebound Ratio (%)} = \frac{\text{Rebound Height}}{\text{Drop Height}} \times 100% $$

• High rebound (50–65 %+) → energy-return foam. The foam “throws back” the impactor. Used in running-shoe midsoles, sports flooring, trampoline pads.
• Medium rebound (35–50 %) → balanced cushioning. Used in case inserts, knee pads, general protective padding.
• Low rebound (20–35 %) → energy-absorbing foam. The impact is dissipated as heat instead of returning. Used in shock-absorbing packaging, fragile-product transport inserts, vibration damping.

This single number distinguishes “bouncy” EVA from “dead” EVA — two samples with identical density and Shore C hardness can still rebound very differently depending on VA content and crosslinking.

ASTM D3574 Test H: The Correct Standard for EVA Foam

For flexible cellular polymers (which includes EVA foam, polyurethane foam, and most closed-cell padding foams), the authoritative rebound test is:

• ASTM D3574 – Test H: Ball Rebound Resilience
• ISO 8307 — internationally equivalent, same procedure
• GB/T 6670 — Chinese national equivalent

Test H Procedure

Step	Specification
Specimen	EVA foam pad, minimum 50 mm thick, 100 × 100 mm or larger surface
Conditioning	23 °C ± 2 °C, 50 % ± 5 % RH for ≥ 16 hours before test
Drop tube	Clear vertical tube, internal diameter matched to ball
Steel ball	Diameter 16 mm, mass 16.3 g (±0.5 g)
Drop height	500 mm (measured from underside of ball to specimen surface)
Measurement	Maximum rebound height of the ball, read by light curtain or high-speed camera
Result	Average of 5 drops at 5 different specimen locations

The reported rebound resilience is the ratio of rebound height to drop height, expressed as a percentage and rounded to the nearest 1 %.

Why Test H Matters for Buyers

Most low-cost EVA foam data sheets either omit rebound or quote a number from an unspecified test method. Insisting on “rebound ≥ X % per ASTM D3574 Test H” in your PO does three things:

1. Locks the supplier to a single, repeatable method.
2. Makes batch-to-batch comparison meaningful (different labs converge on the same number).
3. Gives you a defensible specification if a shipment rebounds dramatically lower than ordered.

ASTM D3574 vs D2632 vs F1976: Don’t Mix These Up

The most common spec mistake on EVA orders is calling out the wrong standard. Each method was designed for a different material class:

Standard	Material	Method	When to Use
ASTM D3574 Test H	Flexible cellular foam (EVA, PU)	Ball drop, 500 mm, 16 mm / 16.3 g steel ball	✅ Default for EVA foam rebound
ISO 8307	Flexible cellular foam	Identical to D3574 Test H	International contracts; same number
ASTM D2632	Solid rubber (rubber sheet, gaskets)	Vertical rebound of a falling plunger	❌ Not appropriate for foam — gives misleadingly low values on EVA
ASTM F1976	Athletic footwear midsoles	Impact attenuation + energy return at higher impact energies	Sports-shoe certification only
ASTM D2240	Any polymer	Shore A / C / 00 durometer	Hardness, not rebound — often confused

If your supplier sends a rebound value tested per D2632, ask for retest per D3574 Test H. The numbers are not interchangeable.

How Density and VA Content Affect EVA Rebound

EVA foam rebound is driven by two production variables that you can spec on the order:

1. Density (kg/m³)

For a given EVA formulation, rebound generally increases with density up to a point, then plateaus. Very low-density EVA collapses under the ball and absorbs more energy; high-density EVA has stiffer cell walls that snap back.

2. VA (Vinyl Acetate) Content

VA percentage controls how rubbery the polymer matrix is. Higher VA = more elastomeric = higher rebound, but also softer and more expensive.

EVA Grade	Density (kg/m³)	VA Content	Typical Rebound (D3574 Test H)	Common Application
Low-density packaging foam	33–60	14–18 %	25–35 %	Shock-absorbing inserts, fragile-product packaging
Standard padding	60–100	18–22 %	35–45 %	Case interiors, general protective padding
Midsole / orthotic	100–150	22–28 %	45–55 %	Footwear midsoles, athletic insoles
High-rebound EVA	130–180	28–35 %	55–65 %	Running-shoe energy-return inserts, sports flooring
High-density structural	180–280	14–22 %	40–50 %	Tool-tray inserts, gaskets, load-bearing pads (rebound deliberately mid-range)

These ranges are typical for Damao Tech production lots; exact numbers depend on the crosslinking agent (usually DCP — dicumyl peroxide), foaming agent, and post-cure conditions.

Specifying Rebound on a B2B Purchase Order

When you order EVA foam for a performance-critical application, include all four lines below. Omitting any one of them lets the supplier ship a technically conforming but practically wrong product.

EVA foam, closed-cell
- Density:     XX  kg/m³  ± 5 %        (per ASTM D3575 Suffix W)
- Hardness:    XX  Shore C ± 3         (per ASTM D2240)
- Rebound:     ≥ XX %                   (per ASTM D3574 Test H / ISO 8307)
- Compression set: ≤ XX % at 50 % strain, 22 h @ 70 °C (per ASTM D3574 Test D)

For high-rebound shoe-midsole work, additionally cite ASTM F1976 for impact energy return — but keep D3574 Test H as the primary rebound number.

Quick Reference: Target Rebound by Application

Application	Target Rebound (Test H)	Why
Fragile-product packaging	25–35 %	Maximum energy absorption protects contents
Tool-case inserts	35–45 %	Cushioning without pushing tools back out
Knee / elbow pads	40–50 %	Balance protection and tactile feedback
Yoga / floor mats	45–55 %	Comfortable spring without instability
Running-shoe midsole	55–65 %	Returns energy to the runner per stride
Vibration-damping mount	20–30 %	Dissipates oscillation as heat

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “rebound” the same as “resilience”? In foam standards yes — ASTM D3574 Test H is officially titled “Ball Rebound Resilience.” “Rebound ratio” and “ball rebound” describe the same measurement.

Can I use ASTM D2632 results for EVA foam? No. D2632 is for solid rubber and uses a much heavier plunger; applying it to EVA foam under-reports rebound by 10–20 percentage points. Always specify D3574 Test H.

Does higher Shore C hardness mean higher rebound? Not necessarily. Hardness and rebound are independent properties — you can have a hard but “dead” foam (low rebound, high damping) or a softer high-rebound foam. Always specify both.

What is a “good” rebound value for EVA foam? There is no single “good” value — it depends on application. A 60 % rebound EVA is excellent for shoe midsoles but a terrible choice for shock-absorbing packaging.

Does Damao Tech provide test reports? Yes — for custom EVA orders Damao Tech can supply per-batch ASTM D3574 Test H rebound reports along with density, hardness, and compression-set data on request. Contact our engineers to discuss your spec sheet.

Next Steps

• Determine your application’s target rebound from the reference table above.
• Add the ASTM D3574 Test H line to your purchase order.
• Request a sample lot with full test report before committing to a production order.

For density selection, see our EVA Foam Density Guide. For hardness, see EVA Foam Density & Hardness: Shore A, C, and 00 Guide.

Ready to spec a custom EVA foam grade with verified rebound performance? Explore our EVA foam capabilities or request a quote.