• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2007

The fatigue properties of Ti-Ni shape memory alloy wires were investigated. In Ni-rich Ti-Ni shape memory alloys, $Ti_3Ni_4$ precipitates formed by aging treatments are believed to vary the shape memory and mechanical properties. In this study, the effect of aging temperature and aging time on shape memory properties and fatigue life were investigated using Ti-50.9 at% Ni alloy wires. The specimens were solution-treated at 1073 K for 3.6 ks followed by aging at 573 K, 673 K and 773 K for periods between 3.6 ks and 3600 ks. It was found that the fatigue life under a constant stress decreased with increasing aging temperature. When the specimens were aged at 573 K for periods between 36 ks and 360 ks, superior shape memory and fatigue properties were obtained. The fatigue life also decreased when the test temperature and strain amplitude increased. It was concluded that the fatigue life exhibited a linear relationship with the critical stress for slip.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.367-389
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• 2008

Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) are unique materials with a paramount potential for various applications in bridges. The novelty of this material lies in its ability to undergo large deformations and return to its undeformed shape through stress removal (superelasticity) or heating (shape memory effect). In particular, Ni-Ti alloys have distinct thermomechanical properties including superelasticity, shape memory effect, and hysteretic damping. SMA along with sensing devices can be effectively used to construct smart Reinforced Concrete (RC) bridges that can detect and repair damage, and adapt to changes in the loading conditions. SMA can also be used to retrofit existing deficient bridges. This includes the use of external post-tensioning, dampers, isolators and/or restrainers. This paper critically examines the fundamental characteristics of SMA and available sensing devices emphasizing the factors that control their properties. Existing SMA models are discussed and the application of one of the models to analyze a bridge pier is presented. SMA applications in the construction of smart bridge structures are discussed. Future trends and methods to achieve smart bridges are also proposed.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.73-85
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• 2010

The potential offered by the thermo-mechanical properties of shape memory alloys (SMA) in structural engineering applications has been the topic of many research studies during the last two decades. The main issues concern the long-term predictability of the material behaviour and the fatigue lifetime of the macro structural elements (as different from the one of wire segments). The laboratory tests reported in this paper are carried out on bar specimens and they were planned in order to pursue two objectives. First, the creep phenomenon is investigated for two different alloys, a classical Ni-Ti alloy and a Cu-based alloy. The attention is then focused on the Cu-based alloy only and its fatigue characteristics at given temperatures are investigated. Stress and thermal cycles are alternated to detect any path dependency.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.329-340
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• 2016

The trigonal shape memory alloys (SMAs) have a great potential to be utilized as the applications with special purposes, such as actuators with high operation frequency. Most studies on the trigonal microstructures typically focus on the well-known classic herringbone pattern, but many other patterns are also possible, such as non-classic herringbone, toothbrush and checkerboard patterns. In the current work, a systematic procedure is developed to find all possible laminate twin microstructures by using geometrically linear compatibility theory. The procedure is verified by SEM images with the information of crystallographic axes of unitcells obtained by EBSD, showing good agreement. Many interesting trigonal R-phase patterns are found in the specimen. Then, their incompatibility are analyzed with nonlinear compatibility theory. The relationship between such incompatibility and the likelihood of occurrence of the microstructures is revealed. The current procedure is rapid, computationally efficient and sufficiently general to allow further extension to other crystal systems and materials.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.256-257
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• 2006

3D printing of NiTi alloys has been successfully achieved. A novel printing process has been developed and used, which consists in selective deposition of a solvent on a granule bed. The granules are composed of metal powders and thermoplastic binder, which are mixed and sieved by conventional methods. A sound green strength is obtained after solvent evaporation. Sintered parts exhibit good density, proper phase composition and shape memory behaviour.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.957-962
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• 2007

This paper describes a new mechanism for improving the force of actuators based on shape memory alloys (SMA) by increasing the number at which a coil pattern SMA spring can evenly be heated. This structure accomplishes a high efficient transformation between force and displacement overcoming the main mechanical drawback of shape memory alloys, that being the limit strain. A pantograph manipulator actuated by the introduced new mechanism has been designed for this research. Mechanical structure and driving mechanism of this manipulator are described in detail, and its control algorithm and current amplifier circuit in a position control system are designed.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.208-215
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• 1995

The aging effects on the characteristics of the melt spun Cu based shape memory alloys have been investigated by the microhardness test, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. After aged for specific times, hardness of the ribbons began to increase and shape memory capacity diminished. At the initial stage of aging the austenitic transformation temperatures increased gradually, but at last became nearly constant: That is, the aging deteriorated the thermal stability. The increase in hardness was due to the formation of the $\gamma_2$ precipitates. The loss in the shape memory capacity was due to the decrement of solute atoms in the matrix by the formation of the $\gamma_2$ precipitates. In this study, it was confirmed that Mn is an effective element for Improving the thermal stability.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.357-363
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• 2006

Equations describing deformation defects, damage accumulation, and fracture condition have been suggested. Analytical and numerical solutions have been obtained for defects produced by a shear in a fixed direction. Under cyclic loading the number of cycles to failure well fits the empirical Koffin-Manson law. The developed model is expanded to the case of the micro-plastic deformation, which accompanies martensite accommodation in shape memory alloys. Damage of a shape memory specimen has been calculated for two regimes of loading: a constant stress and cyclic variation of temperature across the interval of martensitic transformations, and at a constant temperature corresponding to the pseudoelastic state and cyclic variation of stress. The obtained results are in a good qualitative agreement with available experimental data.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.137-152
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• 2008

The work presented in this paper includes material characterisation and an investigation of suitability in seismic dampers for two commercially available NiTi-alloys, along with a numerical analysis of a new damper system employing composite NiTi-wires. Numerical simulations of the new damper system are conducted, using Brinson's one-dimensional constitutive model for shape memory alloys, with emphasis on the system's energy dissipation capabilities. The two alloys tested showed some unwanted residual strain at temperatures higher than $A_f$, possibly due to stress concentrations near inclusions in the material. These findings show that the alloys are not ideal, but may be employed in a seismic damper if precautions are made. The numerical investigations indicate that using composite NiTi-wires in a seismic damper enhances the energy dissipation capabilities for a wider working temperature range.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.641-665
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• 2015

In this paper, a simple and efficient phenomenological macroscopic one-dimensional model is proposed which is able to simulate main features of shape memory alloys (SMAs) particularly ferro-elasticity effect. The constitutive model is developed within the framework of thermodynamics of irreversible processes to simulate the one-dimensional behavior of SMAs under uniaxial simple tension-compression as well as pure torsion+/- loadings. Various functions including linear, cosine and exponential functions are introduced in a unified framework for the martensite transformation kinetics and an analytical description of constitutive equations is presented. The presented model can be used to reproduce primary aspects of SMAs including transformation/orientation of martensite phase, shape memory effect, pseudo-elasticity and in particular ferro-elasticity. Experimental results available in the open literature for uniaxial tension, torsion and bending tests are simulated to validate the present SMA model in capturing the main mechanical characteristics. Due to simplicity and accuracy, it is expected the present SMA model will be instrumental toward an accurate analysis of SMA components in various engineering structures particularly when the ferro-elasticity is obvious.