FEA and Experimental Studies of Adaptive Composite Materials with SMA Wires

—This study comprises finite element simulations and experimental studies of the shape memory effect due to the presence of SMA (shape memory alloy) wires in composite materials. FEA was performed using ANSYS, where the prestrain was modelled by equivalent changes in the expansion coefficient of the SMA. Three case-studies were simulated and their predictions were compared with experimental data: (a) the heating of a prestrained SMA ribbon in epoxy; (b) the heating of a 4 ply 0o /90o /0o /90o fibre composite (without SMA wires), which causes deflection due to the difference in the expansion coefficients of matrix and fibres and (c) the heating of a 4 ply 0o /90o /0o /90o fibre composite with SMA wires, which included the synergy of the shape memory effects of the matrix/fibre system and SMA wires.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2007
• Where: WCE
• Authors: K. Kanas, Constantina Lekakou, N. Vrellos
• Keywords: Shape Memory, Shape Memory Effects, SMA Wires, WCE 2007, WCE 2008