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Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): A Smart Material for Smart and Resilient Systems

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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Sensor Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 31825

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ehsan Noroozinejad Farsangi

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Guest Editor

1. Urban Transformations Research Centre (UTRC), Western Sydney University, NSW 2214, Australia
2. Smart Structures Group, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Interests: modular construction; prefabrication; 3D printing; robotic construction; digital construction; net-zero; steel structures; RC structures; damping system; base isolation; vibration control; resilience; AI; VR; AR; smart structures; infrastructure; digital twin; SHM; structural dynamics; finite element method; earthquake engineering; smart materials
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Prof. Dr. Mohammad Noori

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Guest Editor

1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405, USA
2. School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
Interests: AI-based methods for structural health monitoring and dynamic response; random vibrations; hysteretic systems; seismic isolation; reliability and resilience
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Paolo Gardoni

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
Interests: sustainable and resilient infrastructure; reliability, risk and life cycle analysis; modeling of natural hazards and societal impact; resilient critical infrastructure

Prof. Dr. Shaofan Li

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Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Interests: 2D material-based composites and high performance cementitious materials; 3D printing of amorphous and polymeric materials; atomistic and multiscale simulations; computational nonlocaluid and solid mechanics; dislocation pattern dynamics and multiscale defect mechanics; engineering applications of articial intelligence and machine learning methods; micromechanics and nanomechanics of matertials; data-driven computational modeling, simulation and design; soft matter mechanics and physics

Dr. Farhad Aslani

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Materials and Structures Innovation Group, School of Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
Interests: smart and sustainable construction materials; advanced concrete technology (conductive concrete, self-compacting concrete, geopolymer concrete, lightweight concrete, heavyweight concrete, engineered cementitious composite, and ultra-high performance concrete); fire performance of structures; advanced reinforced concrete structures; steel-concrete composite structures; rehabilitation and strengthening techniques; offshore structures; additive manufacturing (3D printing) of cementitious/geopolymer composites
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Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are high-performance metallic materials that have attracted significant research attention recently in the field of civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering. This Special Issue will focus on the theory and application of SMAs in order to understand the response of these materials to external stimuli such as force, displacement, temperature, magnetic fields, irradiation, and corrosive media toward smarter and more resilient societies.

It will showcase some of the latest efforts advancing the frontiers of structural and mechanical engineering by utilizing SMAs. Topics include but are not limited to the following:

Smart Vibration Control Systems Utilizing SMAs;
Smart Dampers Utilizing SMAs;
Smart Seismic Isolation Systems Utilizing SMAs;
Smart Structural Systems Utilizing SMAs;
Re-Centring Ability of SMA-Based Systems;
Corrosion and Ageing Resistance of SMA-Based Systems;
Hysteresis Behavior of SMA-Based Systems;
Applications of SMAs in Real Structures;
SMA-Based Seismic Retrofitting and Rehabilitation;
Macro-Modeling and Numerical Simulation of SMA-Based Systems/Devices;
The High Damping Capacity of Shape Memory Alloys;
Superelastic Properties of SMAs;
Resilient Structures and Infrastructure.

Dr. Ehsan Noroozinejad Farsangi
Prof. Dr. Mohammad Noori
Prof. Dr. Paolo Gardoni
Prof. Dr. Shaofan Li
Dr. Farhad Aslani
Guest Editors

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Keywords

shape memory alloys (SMA)
smart materials
smart structures
smart systems
resilience
phase transitions
low-damage
self-centring
retrofitting
rehabilitation
hysteresis behaviour
macro modelling
numerical simulation

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 5818 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Active Cooling System for Internal Combustion Engine Using Shape Memory Alloy Based Thermostat

by Pacifique Turabimana, Jung Woo Sohn and Seung-Bok Choi

Sensors 2023, 23(8), 3972; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23083972 - 13 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4298

Abstract

Pollutants in exhaust gases and the high fuel consumption of internal combustion engines remain key issues in the automotive industry despite the emergence of electric vehicles. Engine overheating is a major cause of these problems. Traditionally, engine overheating was solved using electric pumps and cooling fans with electrically operated thermostats. This method can be applied using active cooling systems that are currently available on the market. However, the performance of this method is undermined by its delayed response time to activate the main valve of the thermostat and the dependence of the coolant flow direction control on the engine. This study proposes a novel active engine cooling system incorporating a shape memory alloy-based thermostat. After discussing the operating principles, the governing equations of motion were formulated and analyzed using COMSOL Multiphysics and MATLAB. The results show that the proposed method improved the response time required to change the coolant flow direction and led to a coolant temperature difference of 4.90 °C at 90 °C cooling conditions. This result indicates that the proposed system can be applied to existing internal combustion engines to enhance their performance in terms of reduced pollution and fuel consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): A Smart Material for Smart and Resilient Systems)

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16 pages, 5253 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Origami and Kirigami Structure for Impact Energy Absorption: Its Application to Drone Guards

by Chan-Young Park, Yoon-Ah Lee, Jinwoo Jang and Min-Woo Han

Sensors 2023, 23(4), 2150; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23042150 - 14 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4023

Abstract

As the use of drones grows, so too does the demand for physical protection against drone damage resulting from collisions and falls. In addition, as the flight environment becomes more complicated, a shock absorption system is required, in which the protective structure can be deformed based on the circumstances. Here, we present an origami- and kirigami-based structure that provides protection from various directions. This research adds a deformation capacity to existing fixed-shape guards; by using shape memory alloys, the diameter and height of the protective structure are controlled. We present three protective modes (1: large diameter/low height; 2: small diameter/large height; and 3: lotus shaped) that mitigate drone falls and side collisions. From the result of the drop impact test, mode 2 showed a 78.2% reduction in the maximum impact force at side impact. We incorporated kirigami patterns into the origami structures in order to investigate the aerodynamic effects of the hollow patterns. Airflow experiments yielded a macro understanding of flow-through behaviors on each kirigami pattern. In the wind speed experiment, the change in airflow velocity induced by the penetration of the kirigami pattern was measured, and in the force measurement experiment, the air force applied to the structure was determined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): A Smart Material for Smart and Resilient Systems)

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20 pages, 22743 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Control of Monolithic Compliant Gripper Using Shape Memory Alloy Wires

by Ganapathy Then Mozhi, Kaliaperumal Dhanalakshmi and Seung-Bok Choi

Sensors 2023, 23(4), 2052; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23042052 - 11 Feb 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3806

Abstract

This paper presents the design, fabrication and testing of a shape memory alloy (SMA)-actuated monolithic compliant gripping mechanism that enables translational motion of the gripper tips for grasping operation suitable for micromanipulation and microassembly. The design is validated using a finite element analysis (FEA), and a prototype is created for experimental testing. The reported gripping structure is simple and easy to build and design. The gripper is demonstrated to have a displacement amplification gain of 3.7 that allows maximum tip displacement up to 1.2 cm to possess good handling range and geometric advantage which cannot be accomplished by conventional grippers. The position of the gripper tip is predicted from the variation in the electrical resistance of the SMA wire based on the self-sensing phenomena. Self-sensing actuation of the SMA allows the design of a compact and lightweight structure; moreover, it supports the control loop/scheme to use the same SMA element both as an actuator and sensor for position control. The geometrical dimensions of the SMA wire-actuated monolithic compliant gripper is 0.09 m × 0.04 m and can be operated to handle objects with a maximum size of 0.012 m weighing up to 35 g. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): A Smart Material for Smart and Resilient Systems)

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17 pages, 2606 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Computational Modeling and Parametric Analysis of SMA Hybrid Composite Plates under Thermal Environment

by Wei Li and Ivo Stachiv

Sensors 2023, 23(3), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23031344 - 25 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2071

Abstract

This paper presents a coupled thermoelastic finite element formulation for static and dynamic analysis of composite laminated plates with embedded active shape memory alloy (SMA) wires, which accounts for both the phase transformation and the nonlinearity effects of SMA wires. The equations of motion are obtained by using Hamilton’s principle and first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). Furthermore, based on Brinson’s one-dimensional phase transformation constitutive law, a novel coupled thermoelastic finite element model that enables analysis of the SMA hybrid composite (SMAHC) plate is developed. The accuracy and efficiency of the developed computational model for analysis of SMAHC plates are reinforced by comparing theoretical predictions with data available from the literature. The results of the numerical examples also show the ability of the proposed model to predict the thermal-mechanical behavior of SMAHC plates in accordance with SMA’s hysteresis behavior. In addition, based on the proposed model, the influence of temperature as well as SMA volume fraction, pre-strain value, boundary condition and layup sequence on the static bending and free vibration behavior of the SMAHC plates is investigated in detail. The results of parametric analysis show that the variations of both static deflection and natural frequency of the SMAHC plate over temperature exhibit a nonmonotonic behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): A Smart Material for Smart and Resilient Systems)

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17 pages, 2879 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Out-of-Plane Behavior of Masonry Prisms Retrofitted with Shape Memory Alloy Stripes: Numerical and Parametric Analysis

by Alireza Tabrizikahou, Mieczysław Kuczma and Magdalena Łasecka-Plura

Sensors 2022, 22(20), 8004; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22208004 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1954

Abstract

This paper provides a novel Finite Element (FE) simulation to estimate the out-of-plane response of masonry prisms retrofitted with Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) stripes. Empirical data were utilized to develop the computational analysis parameters (mechanical parameters for brick, mortar, and SMA materials) as well as the calibration of the computational FE-based models. For this purpose, a complete micro-modeling approach was applied, assuming perfect contact between mortar joints and brick units. A Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) model was developed to define the constitutive relation between brick and mortar. SMA stripes were mortar-installed on the surface of the prisms with a perfect connection. The masonry prism’s verified computational model was utilized to generate parametric research to explore the effect of varying SMA stripe thicknesses and different SMA usage (Ni-Ti or Cu-Zn-Al). The FE study findings indicated that, independent of their material type or thickness, using SMA stripes greatly minimizes brick prism deterioration. SMA stripes greatly decreased residual displacement and plastic strains. Parametric tests, however, revealed that employing Ni-Ti SMA and increasing its thickness is more effective with respect to the masonry prism out-of-plane response than Cu-Zn-Al SMA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): A Smart Material for Smart and Resilient Systems)

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20 pages, 10318 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Earthquake Resilience with the Versatile Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)-Based Superelasticity-Assisted Slider

by Peyman Narjabadifam, Mohammad Noori, Ertugrul Taciroglu, Jian Zhang, Behrokh Khoshnevis, Donatello Cardone, Dipanjan Basu, Tao Wang, Eltahry Elghandour, Ehsan Noroozinejad Farsangi, Reza Lotfi, Mahdi Chavoshi, Davood Sattarian and Orlando Fabio Stirnimann

Sensors 2022, 22(18), 6876; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22186876 - 12 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3457

Abstract

Earthquakes threaten humanity globally in complex ways that mainly include various socioeconomic consequences of life and property losses. Resilience against seismic risks is of high importance in the modern world and needs to be sustainable. Sustainable earthquake resilience (SER) from the perspective of structural engineering means equipping the built environment with appropriate aseismic systems. Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a class of advanced materials well suited for fulfilling the SER demand of the built environment. This article explores how this capability can be realized by the innovative SMA-based superelasticity-assisted slider (SSS), recently proposed for next-generation seismic protection of structures. The versatility of SSS is first discussed as a critical advantage for an effective SER. Alternative configurations and implementation styles of the system are presented, and other advantageous features of this high-tech isolation system (IS) are studied. Results of shaking table experiments, focused on investigating the expected usefulness of SSS for seismic protection in hospitals and conducted at the structural earthquake engineering laboratory of the University of Bonab, are then reported. SSS is compared with currently used ISs, and it is shown that SSS provides the required SER for the built environments and outperforms other ISs by benefitting from the pioneered utilization of SMAs in a novel approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): A Smart Material for Smart and Resilient Systems)

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23 pages, 20536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cyclic Behavior of Masonry Shear Walls Retrofitted with Engineered Cementitious Composite and Pseudoelastic Shape Memory Alloy

by Alireza Tabrizikahou, Mieczysław Kuczma, Magdalena Łasecka-Plura and Ehsan Noroozinejad Farsangi

Sensors 2022, 22(2), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22020511 - 10 Jan 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3055

Abstract

The behavior of masonry shear walls reinforced with pseudoelastic Ni–Ti shape memory alloy (SMA) strips and engineered cementitious composite (ECC) sheets is the main focus of this paper. The walls were subjected to quasi-static cyclic in-plane loads and evaluated by using Abaqus. Eight cases of strengthening of masonry walls were investigated. Three masonry walls were strengthened with different thicknesses of ECC sheets using epoxy as adhesion, three walls were reinforced with different thicknesses of Ni–Ti strips in a cross form bonded to both the surfaces of the wall, and one was utilized as a reference wall without any reinforcing element. The final concept was a hybrid of strengthening methods in which the Ni–Ti strips were embedded in ECC sheets. The effect of mesh density on analytical outcomes is also discussed. A parameterized analysis was conducted to examine the influence of various variables such as the thickness of the Ni–Ti strips and that of ECC sheets. The results show that using the ECC sheet in combination with pseudoelastic Ni–Ti SMA strips enhances the energy absorption capacity and stiffness of masonry walls, demonstrating its efficacy as a reinforcing method. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): A Smart Material for Smart and Resilient Systems)

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Review

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17 pages, 1328 KiB

Open AccessReview

Control Aspects of Shape Memory Alloys in Robotics Applications: A Review over the Last Decade

by Deivamoney Josephine Selvarani Ruth, Jung-Woo Sohn, Kaliaperumal Dhanalakshmi and Seung-Bok Choi

Sensors 2022, 22(13), 4860; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22134860 - 27 Jun 2022

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6888

Abstract

This paper mainly focuses on various types of robots driven or actuated by shape memory alloy (SMA) element in the last decade which has created the potential functionality of SMA in robotics technology, that is classified and discussed. The wide spectrum of increasing use of SMA in the development of robotic systems is due to the increase in the knowledge of handling its functional characteristics such as large actuating force, shape memory effect, and super-elasticity features. These inherent characteristics of SMA can make robotic systems small, flexible, and soft with multi-functions to exhibit different types of moving mechanisms. This article comprehensively investigates three subsections on soft and flexible robots, driving or activating mechanisms, and artificial muscles. Each section provides an insight into literature arranged in chronological order and each piece of literature will be presented with details on its configuration, control, and application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shape Memory Alloy (SMA): A Smart Material for Smart and Resilient Systems)

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