Development of shape memory alloy fabrics for composite structures

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a unique class of alloys which are able both to 'remember' their shape at high temperature during their modification at lower temperature under their transition domain, and able to recover that initial shape when heated. This ability is known as the one-way shape memory effect. Moreover, SMAs present two other interesting properties, superelasticity and damping capabilities, which can be more or less combined with the first one. An SMA wire of Nitinol mesh was manufactured into technical fabric, in order to examine its weaving adaptability in comparison with a stainless wire and to investigate the different possibilities of use of the material inside composite structures. Several tests have been or will be carried out in order to check the effect of the weaving operation, and later to measure the efficiencies of damping and shape modification.