Thermomechanical Modeling of Shape Memory Alloys and Associated Application Analysis and Design

This talk provides an overview of fundamental and applied research being performed regarding the use of shape memory alloys toward the development of morphing aerostructures. Different research areas are introduced, including mathematical modeling, numerical analysis, and experimental studies. As the number and complexity of proposed SMA applications increases, engineers and designers must seek out or develop more capable predictive methods. A focused discussion on recent work regarding constitutive modeling and analysis tool development is therefore provided, including brief consideration of irrecoverable behaviors such as plasticity and viscoplasticity. The analysis of multiple coupled physical phenomena (i.e., phase transformation, heat transfer, fluid flow, etc.) is addressed. Finally, current work being performed in collaboration with The Boeing Company and others on SMA component design optimization is described in addition to some of the latest efforts on massively reconfigurable self-folding devices.