Self-healing Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) in Reinforced Concrete Structures: A Review

Abstract

The presence of shape-memory alloy (SMA) in civil engineering fields was an eye-opener for researchers to develop better technology which can aid in various related aspects. The superiority of SMA over others is that it has a special capability where it remembers the previous shape and is able to return back to its original shape after being heated. The usage of SMA is tremendous in other applications such as in medical, dentistry, and also in automotive and robotic. However, SMA in structural applications can be considered as new and is still in research mode. Construction fields are always thirsty for new and fresh ideas to make improvements in existing technology. As the construction field has to face the possibility of natural disasters such as landslide, earthquake, and others, technologies are needed to reduce the total damages when such natural disasters occur. The existence of SMA as a new material in construction field gives positive vibes to researchers in creating a new technology. This paper explains the ability of SMA as a self-healing material and its unique properties of shape-memory effect and super-elasticity that are helpful in structural applications. The use of SMAs in reinforced concrete structures has been reviewed to clearly understand its mechanism processes. Comparison between SMAs and regular reinforced concretes were made to distinguish the performance of SMA-reinforced structures. Other recognized issues related to SMA, which is seismic protection of buildings are also presented in this paper.