Experimentally characterization and theoretical modeling of the electro-thermomechanical coupling of unimorph Shape Memory Active Hybrid composites

Abstract

Shape memory alloy hybrid composites (SMAHC) are a class of smart composites with the ability to change their shape in response to external stimuli, such as heat or electric current, due to the thermoelastic phase transition of embedded filaments of a shape memory alloy. In this work, a multiphyical electro-thermomechanical SMAHC model, capable of describing the dynamic shape adaptive behavior of SMAHC on various length scales under the influence of external loads and ambient temperatures, is developed and experimentally validated. Activation and deactivation experiments were performed systematically for different geometries and all material parameters needed for validation purposes were measured.