Finite element analysis of SMA beam bending using COMSOL

Abstract

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) represent a class of smart materials that has been extensively used in many engineering applications due to their unique material properties. To facilitate these new developments, an efficient computational tool like the finite element method has to be used in order to simulate the highly nonlinear, load-history and temperature dependent responses of SMA materials. The particular focus of this paper is on the aspects of modeling and simulation of the inhomogeneous beam bending problem. Based on small deformation Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, the SMA beam is treated as consisting of several layers. Each governed by a 1-D free energy SMA model. The SMA beam is implemented in the finite element software COMSOL using its general PDE form. The ordinary differential equations describing the kinetics of the phase transformations are treated as degenerated PDEs without a flux term and coupled with the mechanical equilibrium equation and the heat transfer equation. In this paper, we study the quasiplastic and superelastic isothermal behavior of an SMA cantilever beam at constant low and high temperature, respectively. Keywords: finite element analysis, shape memory alloy, COMSOL