Abstract: To study the compressive properties of ceramic spheres reinforced porous aluminum composites, quasi-static compression tests of composites with two different ceramic sphere contents were carried out, and the corresponding numerical models were established based on the nonlinear finite element software ABAQUS. The simulation results were compared with the experimental results, and the mechanical properties, failure modes and energy absorption capacity of the composites were analyzed from three aspects: ceramic sphere particle size, volume fraction and material properties. The results show that the increase of the volume fraction of ceramic spheres in the composite material can enhance the Young 's modulus of the material in the linear elastic stage to a certain extent, while the ceramic particle size and material type have little effect on it. In the plastic deformation stage, larger ceramic sphere volume fraction and smaller ceramic particle size contribute to the increase of the slope of the stress plateau region. Under quasi-static compression, the plastic deformation occurs in the thinner hole wall of the composite material, and the contact of the internal ceramic spheres leads to the stress concentration. As the compression proceeds, the interface between the sphere and the porous aluminum matrix is deboned, and some of the spheres are fragmented. Cracks propagate along the weak area of the material hole wall, resulting in the deformation and failure of material. The energy absorption capacity of the composites can be further improved by adding smaller ceramic spheres, increasing the volume fraction of ceramic spheres to a certain extent, and using Al₂O₃ as the reinforcing phase rather than SiC.