Smart structures with pseudoelastic and pseudoplastic shape memory alloy: a critical review of their prospective feasibility and current trends

Abstract

This paper provides a critical review of the feasibility to construct smart structures using pseudoelastic and pseudoplastic shape memory alloy for rehabilitation, seismic resistant, retrofit or repair of structural elements and prestress application. Recent developments have been rapid, making the SMA promising a viable solution for numerous situations in buildings and infrastructure. Owing to their distinctive properties including pseudoelastic, pseudoplastic, hysteretic damping due their ability to undergo large deformations and return to their undeformed shape through stress removal (pseudoelastic) or heating (pseudoplastict) and the superior energy dissipation capacity which led to the use of shape-memory alloys to mitigate natural disasters, repair of structural elements, prestress application to enhance structural performance and safety are reviewed, discussed and explains in different alternatives for its application, which should motivate researchers and practicing engineers to extend its use in novel and emerging applications This paper also examines the fundamental characteristics of SMAs, its constitutive material models and the factors influencing its engineering properties. Also stated is the contrast between reinforcement material properties of steel and SMAs and the type of SMA used by the previous researchers. A review of current studies show that the pseudoelastic SMA, pseudoplastic and high-damping characteristics of SMAs result in applications in bridges and buildings that show significant promise.