• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.339-352
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• 2006

Observing the unique stress-strain curves of the superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) in tension and compression, the primary intention of this study is to investigate the behavior of the shafts made of the same material, under torsional loading-unloading cycles for large angle of twist. Experiments have been performed for the superelastic SMA shafts with different unsupported lengths and angles of twist and the results are compared with those of stainless steel (SUS304) shafts under similar test conditions. As expected for the superelastic SMA, the residual strains are small enough after each cycle and consequently, the hysteresis under loading-reverse loading is much narrower than that for the SUS304. For large angle of twists, the torsional strength of the superelastic SMA increases nonlinearly and exceeds that of SUS304. Most interestingly, the slender solid superelastic SMA shafts are found to buckle when acted upon torsion for large angle of twist.

• Journal of Urban Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.5-9
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• 2018

The nickel-titanium shape memory alloy (SMA), referred to as Nitinol, exhibits a superelastic effect that can be restored to its original shape even if a significant amount of deformation is applied at room temperature, without any additional heat treatment after removal of the load. Owing to these unique material characteristics, it has widely used as displacement control devices for seismic retrofitting in civil engineering fields as well as medical, electrical, electronic and mechanical fields. Contrary to ordinarty carbon steel, superelastic SMAs are very resistant to fatigue, and have force-displacement properties depending on loading speed. The change for the mechanical properties of superelastic SMAs are experimentally inviestigated in this study when loading cycle numbers and loading speeds are different. In addition, the standardized force-displacement properties of such superelastic SMAs are proposed with an aim to efficiently design the seismic retrofitting devices made of these materials.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.83-98
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• 2018

This research was conducted to study the behavior of exterior concrete beam-column joints with reinforced shape memory alloy (SMA) bars tested under cyclic loading. These bars benefit from superelastic behavior and can stand high loads without residual strains. The experimental part of the study, 8 specimens of exterior concrete beam-column joints were made and tested. Two different types of concrete with 30 and 45 MPa were used. Four specimens contained SMA bars and 4 specimens contained steel bars in beam-column joints. Furthermore, different transverse reinforcements were used in beams investigate the effects of concrete confinement. Specimens were tested under cyclic loading. Results show that SMA bars are capable of recentering to their original shape after standing large displacements. Due to the superelastic behavior of SMA bars, cracks at the joint core vanish under cyclic loading. As the cyclic loading increased, bending failure occurred in the beam outside the joint core. In the analytical parts of the study, specimens were simulated using the SeismoStruct software. Experimental and analytical results showed a satisfactory correlation. Plastic hinge length at the beam joint for specimens with SMA and steel bars was calculated by empirical equations, experimental and analytical results. It was shown that Paulay's and Priestley's equations are appropriate for concrete beam-column joints in both types of bars.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.399-412
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• 2011

This study compares the performance of two smart isolation systems that utilize superelastic shape memory alloys (SMAs) for seismic protection of bridges using energy balance concepts. The first isolation system is a SMA/rubber-based isolation system (SRB-IS) and consists of a laminated rubber bearing that decouples the superstructure from the bridge piers and a SMA device that provides additional energy dissipation and re-centering capacity. The second isolation system, named as superelastic-friction base isolator (S-FBI), combines the superelastic SMAs with a flat steel-Teflon bearing rather than a laminated rubber bearing. Seismic energy equations of a bridge structure with SMA-based isolation systems are established by absolute and relative energy balance formulations. Nonlinear time history analyses are performed in order to assess the effectiveness of the isolation systems and to compare their performance. The program RSPMatch 2005 is employed to generate spectrum compatible ground motions that are used in time history analyses of the isolated bridge. Results indicate that SRB-IS produces higher seismic input energy, recoverable energy and base shears as compared to the S-FBI system. Also, it is shown that combining superelastic SMAs with a sliding bearing rather than rubber bearing significantly reduce the amount of the required SMA material.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.183-194
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• 2015

Shape memory alloy (SMA) helical springs have found a large number of different applications in industries including biomedical devices and actuators. According to the application of SMA springs in different actuators, they are usually under tension and torsion loadings. The ability of SMAs in recovering inelastic strains is due to martensitic phase transformation between austenite and martensite phases. Stress or temperature induced martensite transformation induced of SMAs is a remarkable property which makes SMA springs more superior in comparison with traditional springs. The present paper deals with the simulation of SMA helical spring at room temperature. Three-dimensional phenomenological constitutive model is used to describe superelastic behavior of helical spring. This constitutive model is implemented as a user subroutine through ABAQUS STANDARD (UMAT), and the process of the implementation is presented. Numerical results show that the developed constitutive model provides an appropriate approach to captures the general behavior of SMA helical springs.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1-12
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• 2012

The researches related to active control systems utilizing superelastic shape memory alloys (SMA) have been recently conducted to reduce critical damage due to lateral deformation after severe earthquakes. Although Superelastic SMAs undergo considerable inelastic deformation, they can return to original conditions without heat treatment only after stress removal. We can expect the mitigation of residual deformation owing to inherent recentering characteristics when these smart materials are installed at the part where large deformation is likely to occur. Therefore, the primary purpose of this research is to develop concentrically braced frames (CBFs) with superelastic SMA bracing systems and to evaluate the seismic performance of such frame structures. In order to investigate the inter-story drift response of CBF structures, 3- and 6-story buildings were design according to current design specifications, and then nonlinear time-history analyses were performed on numerical 2D frame models. Based on the numerical analysis results, it can be comparatively verified that the CBFs with superelastic SMA bracing systems have more structural advantages in terms of energy dissipation and recentering behavior than those with conventional steel bracing systems.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.329-348
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• 2011

Large-scale earthquakes pose serious threats to infrastructure causing substantial damage and large residual deformations. Superelastic (SE) Shape-Memory-Alloys (SMAs) are unique alloys with the ability to undergo large deformations, but can recover its original shape upon stress removal. The purpose of this research is to exploit this characteristic of SMAs such that concrete Beam-Column Joints (BCJs) reinforced with SMA bars at the plastic hinge region experience reduced residual deformation at the end of earthquakes. Another objective is to evaluate the seismic performance of SMA Reinforced Concrete BCJs repaired with flowable Structural-Repair-Concrete (SRC). A $\frac{3}{4}$-scale BCJ reinforced with SMA rebars in the plastic-hinge zone was tested under reversed cyclic loading, and subsequently repaired and retested. The joint was selected from an RC building located in the seismic region of western Canada. It was designed and detailed according to the NBCC 2005 and CSA A23.3-04 recommendations. The behaviour under reversed cyclic loading of the original and repaired joints, their load-storey drift, and energy dissipation ability were compared. The results demonstrate that SMA-RC BCJs are able to recover nearly all of their post-yield deformation, requiring a minimum amount of repair, even after a large earthquake, proving to be smart structural elements. It was also shown that the use of SRC to repair damaged BCJs can restore its full capacity.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.313-333
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• 2012

Reinforced concrete (RC) framed buildings dissipate the seismic energy through yielding of the reinforcing bars. This yielding jeopardizes the serviceability of these buildings as it results in residual lateral deformations. Superelastic Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) can recover inelastic strains by stress removal. Since SMA is a costly material, this paper defines the required locations of SMA bars in a typical RC frame to optimize its seismic performance in terms of damage scheme and seismic residual deformations. The intensities of five earthquakes causing failure to a typical RC six-storey building are defined and used to evaluate seven SMA design alternatives.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.563-574
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• 2006

This paper studies mechanical behavior of the superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) rods in terms of local deformations and time via tensile loading-unloading cycles for both ends fixed end constraints. Besides the unique stress induced martensitic transformation (SIMT), SMA's time dependent behavior when it is in mixed-phase condition upon loading and unloading, also need careful attention with a view of investigating the local deformation of the structural elements made of the same material. With this perspective, the so-called stress-relaxation tests have been performed to demonstrate and investigate the local strains-total strains relationships with time, particularly, during the forward SIMT. Some remarkable phenomena have been observed pertaining to SIMT, which are absent in traditional materials and those unique phenomena have been explained qualitatively. For example, at the stopped loading conditions the two ends (fixed end and moving end of the tensile testing machine) were in fixed positions. So that there was no axial overall deformation of the specimen but some notable increase in the axial local deformation was shown by the extensometer placed at the middle of the SMA specimen. It should be noted that this peculiar behavior termed as 'inertia driven SIMT' occurs only when the loading was stopped at mixed phase condition. Besides this relaxation test for the SMA specimens, the same is performed for the mild steel (MS) specimens under similar test conditions. The MS specimens, however, show no unusual increase of local strains during the stress relaxation tests.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.607-627
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• 2013

The application of shape memory alloys (SMAs) to the seismic response reduction of civil engineering structures has attracted growing interest due to their self-centering feature and excellent fatigue performance. The loading rate dependence of SMAs raises a concern in the seismic analysis of SMA-based devices. However, the implementation of micromechanics-based strain-rate-dependent constitutive models in structural analysis software is rather complicated and computationally demanding. This paper investigates the feasibility of replacing complex rate-dependent models with rate-independent constitutive models for superelastic SMA elements in seismic time-history analysis. Three uniaxial constitutive models for superelastic SMAs, including one rate-dependent thermomechanical model and two rate-independent phenomenological models, are considered in this comparative study. The pros and cons of the three nonlinear constitutive models are also discussed. A parametric study of single-degree-of-freedom systems with different initial periods and strength reduction factors is conducted to examine the effect of the three constitutive models on seismic simulations. Additionally, nonlinear time-history analyses of a three-story prototype steel frame building with special SMA-based damping braces are performed. Two suites of seismic records that correspond to frequent and design basis earthquakes are used as base excitations in the seismic analyses of steel-braced frames. The results of this study show that the rate-independent constitutive models, with their parameters properly tuned to dynamic test data, are able to predict the seismic responses of structures with SMA-based seismic response modification devices.