Fabrication and Cyclic Behavior of Highly Ductile Superelastic Shape Memory Composites

Abstract

AbstractTo address the problem of steel corrosion, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars are often used as reinforcement in concrete structures. However, conventional FRP bars are characterized by linear elastic behavior that limits their efficacy in seismic structural applications. This paper investigates the fabrication and cyclic behavior of a relatively new class of composite material known as SMA-FRP that could be used as seismic reinforcement for concrete structures. The new composite comprises a high elongation resin matrix, embedded with superelastic NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) wires as primary reinforcement. The SMA wires are used either with or without the addition of conventional fibers. The hysteretic nonlinear pseudoelastic behavior of SMA provides the new composite with features that conventional FRP lacks, such as ductility and energy dissipation capability. The experimental program carried out in this study starts with the training of SMA wires, and the investigation of the hysteretic beha...