Fundamentos y aplicaciones piloto de las aleaciones con memoria de forma para su utilización en ingeniería estructural

Fundamentals and pilot experiences of the application of shape memory alloys in structural engineering

Research applications of shape memory alloys (SMA) in structural engineering have gained interest in the last few years. Their outstanding properties for structural engineering are the shape memory effect, the super-elasticity, and the damping capacity, all of them due to the martensitic transformation. The former is the phenomenon by which SMAs are able to return to their original predefined shape upon heating. Super-elasticity is the ability to show high inelastic deformations and to return to their original shape during a mechanical unload cycle. The damping capacity allows the design of devices to reduce movements or vibrations in structures. In this paper, the physics fundamentals of the martensitic transformation and some pilot applications are presented, highlighting the more interesting topics for structural engineering.