Concrete filled steel tubes are regarded as ideal frame members in seismic resisting systems, as they combine large axial and flexural capacity with ductility. The combination of the two materials increases the strength of the confined concrete and avoids premature local buckling of the steel tube. These benefits are more prominent for circular than for rectangular concrete filled steel tubes. However, most common connection configurations for circular concrete filled tubes are not economic in the US market due to (a) the desire of designers to use only fully restrained connections and its associated (b) high cost of fabrication and field welding. Research indicates that well designed partially restrained connections can supply equal or even better cyclic behavior. Partially restrained connections also possess potential capability to develop self-centering system, which has many merits in seismic design. The goal of this research is to develop a new connection configuration between circular concrete filled steel columns and conventional W steel beams. The new connection configuration is intended to provide another option for rapid assembling on site with low erection costs. The proposed connection is based on an extended stiffened end plate that utilizes through rods. The rods are a combination of conventional steel and shape memory alloy that provide both energy dissipation and self-centering capacity. The new connection configuration should be workable for large beam sizes and can be easily expanded to a biaxial bending moment connection. / Ph. D.

Widespread use of solid oxide fuel cells is hindered by a lack of long-term durability of seals between metallic and ceramic components caused by thermal expansion mismatch induced cracking. A novel gas seal design incorporating an engineered thermal expansion gradient in a SrO-La₂O₃-A₂O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂ glass matrix with a TiNiHf shape memory alloy mesh for active stress relief and crack healing is being developed. Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) measurements of the seal and fuel cell components shows the possibility for a thermal expansion gradient. Differential scanning calorimetry and microscopy have shown that the TiNiHf alloy has a shape memory transition in the desired range of 200-250ºC. The oxide glass partially crystallizes during thermal cycling which has been observed through X-ray diffraction and dilatometry. The CTE decreases from 9.3Ã 10-6/°C to 6.6Ã 10-6/°C after thermal cycling. Neutron diffraction data from TiNiHf /glass composite samples reveals that the TiNiHf alloy has the ability of absorbing residual stresses from a glass matrix during martensitic phase transition. There is evidence from microscopy that the glass composition is important in determining if reaction will occur with the TiNiHf alloy. The TiNiHf alloy mesh structures can be created using the 3D printing process. This process has been adapted to allow for printing of very thin wire mesh structures of Ni and NiTi powders with a more suitable binder solution. A bi-layer test fixture has been developed which will be useful for assessing leak rate through seal materials. / Master of Science

In this thesis, the thermomechanical approach with internal variables has been thoroughly analyzed. This approach is based on the combination of thermodynamic principles and continuum mechanics. Therefore it reflects the physical essence of constitutive behavior of materials. Based on this approach, a one-dimensional constitutive model for the two-way shape memory effect and a one-dimensional constitutive model for piezoceramics have been developed, respectively. In modeling the two-way shape memory effect, a residual stress σ_re is introduced as a controlling parameter for the two-way shape memory effect. A further refinement of the transformation kinetics expression for two-way shape memory is derived. It is demonstrated that the material parameters required by this model can be calculated or measured using a standard materials testing apparatus. A numerical study is conducted and the effectiveness of this model is verified. In the constitutive modeling of piezoceramics, a new internal state variable is introduced to relate the macroscopic behavior of a piezoceramic with its micro-properties. A phenomenological formulation of polarization reversal is proposed, and then a fully-coupled thermo-electro-mechanical model is developed. It is shown that the theory developed can describe the electromechanical behavior of piezoceramics well. / Master of Science

The work herein is, in part, motivated by the idea of creating optimized, actuating structures using additive manufacturing processes (AM). By developing a consistent, repeatable method for designing and manufacturing multi-material compliant mechanisms, significant performance improvements can be seen in application, such as increased mechanism deflection. There are three distinct categories of research that contribute to this overall motivating idea: 1) investigation of an appropriate multi-material topology optimization process for multi-material jetting, 2) understanding the role that manufacturing constraints play in the fabrication of complex, optimized structures, and 3) investigation of an appropriate process for embedding actuating elements within material jetted parts. PolyJet material jetting is the focus of this dissertation research as it is one of the only AM processes capable of utilizing multiple material phases (e.g., stiff and flexible) within a single build, making it uniquely qualified for manufacturing complex, multi-material compliant mechanisms. However, there are two limitations with the PolyJet process within this context: 1) there is currently a dearth of understanding regarding both single and multi-material manufacturing constraints in the PolyJet process and 2) there is no robust embedding methodology for the in-situ embedding of foreign actuating elements within the PolyJet process. These two gaps (and how they relate to the field of compliant mechanism design) will be discussed in detail in this dissertation. Specific manufacturing constraints investigated include 1) "design for embedding" considerations, 2) removal of support material from printed parts, 3) self-supporting angle of surfaces, 4) post-process survivability of fine features, 5) minimum manufacturable feature size, and 6) material properties of digital materials with relation to feature size. The key manufacturing process and geometric design factors that influence each of these constraints are experimentally determined, as well as the quantitative limitations that each constraint imposes on design. / Ph. D.

During the past decade, Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs), particularly Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) alloys, have received increasing attention mainly because of their promising role to be integrated into multifunctional systems for actuation, morphing, and sensory capabilities in a broad variety of applications including biomedical, aerospace and seismological engineering. The unique performance of all the novel devices developed by SMAs relies on either the shape memory effect or pseudoelasticity, the two distinctive properties of SMAs. Both these unique properties are based on the inherent capability of SMAs to have two stable lattice structures at different stress or temperature conditions, and the ability of changing their crystallographic structure by a displacive phase transformation between a high-symmetry austenite phase and a low-symmetry martensite phase, in response to either mechanical or thermal loading. These properties make them a superior candidate for using as damping materials under high-strain-rate loading conditions in different engineering fields. SMA materials used in the most applications are polycrystalline in nature. In polycrystalline SMAs at the bulk-level, in addition to the phase transformation at the lattice-level, the thermomechanical response is also highly sensitive to the microstructural properties. In this work, the microstructure, as well as defects, such as dislocations and the stacking faults, are studied in the NiTi crystalline structure. In addition, the performance of NiTi under shock wave loading and vibrations, and their energy dissipation capabilities are examined using computational modeling, globally and locally. The effect of graphitic and metal structures, as reinforcements, on the performance of NiTi matrix composites under static and shock stress wave loading conditions is also investigated at the atomistic scale. / PHD / During the past decade, Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs), particularly Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) alloys, have received increasing attention mainly because of their promising role to be integrated into multifunctional systems for actuation, morphing, and sensory capabilities in a broad variety of applications including biomedical, aerospace and seismological engineering. The unique performance of all the novel devices developed by SMAs relies on their ability of changing their crystallographic structure by a displacive phase transformation between a high-symmetry austenite phase and a low-symmetry martensite phase, in response to either mechanical or thermal loading. These properties make them a superior candidate for using as damping materials in different engineering fields. In this work, the microstructure, as well as defects are studied in the NiTi crystalline structure. In addition, the performance of NiTi under shock wave loading and vibrations, and their energy dissipation capabilities are examined using computational modeling, globally and locally. The effect of graphitic and metal structures, as reinforcements, on the performance of NiTi matrix composites under static and shock stress wave loading conditions is also investigated at the atomistic scale.

<p dir="ltr">Shape memory alloys (SMAs) belong to the category of smart materials due to their unique shape memory properties induced by a thermomechanically-triggered phase transformation. This phase changing process is also associated with a pronounced energy dissipation capacity. In recent years, the shape-recovery and energy-dissipating capabilities of SMAs have been object of extensive studies with particular focus on the opportunities they offer for the design of smart composites. The restoring stress of constrained SMAs as well as the modulus change, following thermal loading, can be leveraged to improve the static and dynamic performance, such as the pre/post-bulking behavior, the aerodynamic stability, and the impact resistance of composite materials embedded with SMA wires or fibers. The nonlinear damping resulting from the nonlinear material behavior associated with the ferro-elastic and pseudo-elastic phases was explored in a few studies focusing on vibration suppression in composites. Nonetheless, existing research mainly focused on either SMA wire or fiber reinforced composites, while the understanding of the dynamics of hybrid composites integrating SMA layers still presents several unexplored areas. In part, this technological gap might be explained by the fact that the most common SMA alloy, the so-called Nitinol, is expensive and hence not amenable to be deployed in large scale applications. With the most recent advancements in low-cost SMAs (e.g. Fe-based and Cu-based alloys), new applications that make more extensive use of SMAs are becoming viable. It follows that the understanding of the dynamic response of composites integrating SMA laminae becomes an important topic in order to support the development of innovative hybrid composite structures.</p><p dir="ltr">This dissertation explores the design and the nonlinear dynamic response of hybrid composites integrating SMA laminae, with a particular emphasis on the damping performance under different operating conditions. The dynamic properties of SMA monolithic beams and hybrid composite beams integrated with SMA laminae are investigated via one-dimensional constitutive models. Monolithic SMA beams are investigated to understand the fundamental aspects of the damping capacity of the material as well as possible bifurcation phenomena occurring under different types of harmonic excitations and different levels of pre-strain. The study then focuses on hybrid composite beams, highlighting the effects of design parameters, such the thickness, position, and pre-strain level of SMA layers on the transient and forced dynamic characteristics.</p><p dir="ltr">To further explore the potential of embedding SMA laminae to tailor the damping capacity of the hybrid composite and optimize the distribution of SMA materials, hybrid composite plates (HCPs) assembled by stacking fiber composites and SMA layers (either monolithic or patterned) are explored. The damping capacity of the HCP is assessed under different operating conditions, with emphasis on the effect of pre-strain levels in the SMA layers. The optimization study focuses on understanding the distribution of SMA materials and the synergistic role of patterning and pre-straining individual SMA layers within the HCP. The damping capacity of the HCP is also estimated as a function of the SMA total transformed volume fraction in order to identify the types of patterns and the pre-strain profiles capable of improving the overall damping capacity of the HCP.</p><p dir="ltr">The investigation on the dynamics of SMA hybrid composites continues with the optimal design of sandwich composite beams with elastic face sheets and SMA cellular cores. A deep learning-based surrogate model is proposed to efficiently predict the nonlinear mechanical response of the SMA sandwich beams subject to transverse loading, hence enabling the optimization of the SMA cellular core. The multi-objective optimization of the energy-dissipating capacity and of the overall stiffness is then performed by taking advantage of evolutionary algorithms. Once the optimal geometric parameters of the SMA cellular cores are obtained, finite element simulations are conducted to numerically validate the optimal configurations of the sandwich beams.</p><p dir="ltr">Finally, the numerical models are validated via experimental measurements conducted on monolithic SMA beams. Tests include both tensile and vibration measurements in both the ferro-elastic and pseudo-elastic regimes. The stress-strain relations obtained from tensile tests are used to calibrate the constitutive model of SMAs. Subsequently, experimental vibration tests are performed on clamped-clamped SMA beams to assess the effect of pre-strain levels on the damping capacity of SMA beams via a dedicated experimental setup to apply and maintain the pre-strain levels. The theoretical, numerical, and experimental results provided in this dissertation can serve as important guidelines to design lightweight SMA smart composites with customizable dynamic behavior.</p>

Shape Memory Alloys (SMA’s) are intermetallic materials (chemical compounds of two or more elements) that are able to sustain a residual deformation after the application of a large stress, but they “remember” the original shape to which they creep back, without the application of any external force, after they are heated above a certain critical temperature. A general one-dimensional dynamic mathematical model is presented which accounts for thermal coupling, time-dependent distributed and boundary inputs and internal variables. Well-posedness is obtained using an abstract formulation in an appropriate Hilbert space and explicit decay rates for the associated linear semigroup are derived. Numerical experiments using finite-dimensional approximations are performed for the case in which the thermodynamic potential is given in the Landau-Devonshire form. The sensitivity of the solutions with respect to the model parameters is studied. Finally, an alternative approach to the stress-strain laws is presented which is able to capture the dependence on the strain history. / Ph. D.

Mit Fe-Pd-Legierungen nahe der Zusammensetzung Fe70Pd30 kann man aufgrund des thermischen oder magnetischen Formgedächtniseffekts große Dehnungen erzeugen. Daher sind sie für Mikro- und Nanoaktoren sowie Sensoren von großem wissenschaftlichen und technologischen Interesse. Im Vergleich zu Massivmaterial und dünnen Schichten erwartet man für eindimensionale Geometrien wie Nanodrähte deutlich höhere Arbeitsfrequenzen und Dehnungen. Zur Herstellung von Nanodrähten eignet sich die elektrochemische Abscheidung in selbstordnende nanoporöse Membranen als effizienteste Methode gegenüber lithographischen oder physikalischen Methoden. Um den Formgedächtniseffekt auch in Fe-Pd-Nanodrähten mit ca. 30 at.% Pd zu nutzen, werden in dieser Arbeit entsprechende Herstellungsbedingungen wie Elektrolytsystem, Abscheideparameter und Nachbehandlung herausgearbeitet. Die Zusammenhänge zwischen Abscheidebedingungen und Morphologie, lokaler Mikrostruktur, Struktur sowie magnetischen Eigenschaften werden untersucht und bewertet. Es wird gezeigt, dass Fe-Pd-Nanodrähte trotz der Kombination aus edlem und unedlem Metall elektrochemisch hergestellt werden können. Ein komplexierter Fe-Pd-Elektrolyt in Kombination mit optimierten alternierenden Abscheidepotentialen führt reproduzierbar zu durchgehenden, nahezu defektfreien Nanodrähten nahe der Zusammensetzung Fe70Pd30. Mit einer nachträglichen Wärmebehandlung erreicht man eine vollständige Umwandlung der Fe-Pd-Legierung von der kubisch raumzentrierten zur kubisch flächenzentrierten Struktur. Die erfolgreiche Herstellung dieser Nanodrähte stellt eine Schlüsselposition auf dem Weg zu formgedächtnisbasierten Nanoaktoren dar. In dieser Arbeit konnten wichtige Ansatzpunkte zur Strukturkontrolle während der elektrochemischen Abscheidung und somit zur Aktivierung des Formgedächtniseffekts identifiziert werden. / Fe-Pd alloys at about 30 at.% Pd allow obtaining high length changes or strains in the percent range due to thermal or magnetic shape memory effect. They are especially promising candidates for smart and intelligent materials in micro- and nanoactuators as well as sensors. In comparison to bulk materials and thin films the utilization of nanowires promises higher actuation frequencies and strains, which further heighten the scientific and technological interest. Electrodeposition within self-organized nanoporous templates is a very time efficient method to prepare even large arrays of Fe-Pd nanowires of different length and diameter compared to lithographic or physical methods. The aim of this work is to exhibit the preparation conditions such as electrolyte system, deposition parameter and post treatment for shape memory active Fe-Pd nanowires at about 30 at.% Pd. Correlations between morphology, local microstructure, structure and magnetic properties are investigated and evaluated. Fe-Pd nanowires are successfully prepared by electrodeposition despite the combination of noble Pd and less noble Fe metals. The usage of an electrolyte with complexed Fe and Pd ions and an optimized alternating potential deposition regime leads to continuous and almost defect free nanowires close to the composition Fe70Pd30. The complete transition from the bcc to fcc structure of the Fe-Pd alloy is achieved by an additional heat treatment. However, the successful preparation of these nanowires represents a key element towards nanoactuators based on shape memory alloys. Fundamental knowledge about electrochemical preparation of Fe-Pd nanowires is gained. Important starting points towards structure control during deposition and activation of the shape memory effect are identified.

The unique thermo-mechanical behavior of Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs), such as their ability to recover the original shape upon heating or being able to tolerate large deformations without undergoing plastic transformations, makes them a good choice for actuators. This work studies their application in the aerospace and defense industries where SMA components can serve as release mechanisms for gates of enclosures that have to be deployed remotely. This work provides a novel approach in evaluating the stress and heat induced change of phase in a SMA, in terms of the transformation strain tensor. In particular, the FEA tool ANSYS has been used to perform a 2-D analysis of a Cu-Al-Zn-Mn SMA specimen undergoing a nontraditional loading path in two steps with stress and heating loads. In the first load step, tensile displacement is applied, followed by the second load step in which the specimen is heated while the end displacements are held constant. A number of geometric configurations are examined under the two step loading path. Strain results are used to calculate transformation strain which provides a quantitative measure of phase at a material point; when transformation strain is zero, the material point is either twinned martensite, or austenite depending on the temperature. Transformation strain value of unity corresponds to detwinned martensite. A value between zero and one indicates mixed phase. In this study, through two step loading in conjunction with transformation strain calculations, a method for mapping transient non-uniform distribution of phases in an SMA is introduced. Ability to obtain drastically different phase distributions under same loading path by modifying the geometry is demonstrated. The failure behavior of SMAs can be designed such that the load level the crack initiates and the path it propagates can be customized.

Cette thèse rapporte l’étude des propriétés de fibres composites polymère/nanotubes de carbone obtenues par voie fondu. Contrairement aux fibres produites jusqu’à présent par cette technologie, les fibres réalisées dans cette thèse sont conductrices. Les propriétés électriques sont étudiées en fonction de différents paramètres dont la température et les contraintes mécaniques. Par un modèle analytique, il est montré que l’étirement induit par leprocédé entraine une translation relative des nanotubes et une perte de contacts électriques.Ces fibres possèdent aussi des propriétés thermomécaniques originales comme des effets à mémoire de forme et à mémoire de température. Cette dernière est reflétée par un pic de contrainte générée à la température de déformation du matériau. Ces effets ont pu être mis en évidence sur des déformations de type traction et torsion. Même si ces effets sont gouvernés par le polymère, l’introduction des nanotubes apporte des améliorations des propriétés. / This thesis reports the study of the properties and structure of carbon nanotube / polymercomposite fibers obtained by melt spinning. By contrast to most fibers produced by thistechnology, the fibers produced in this thesis are electrically conductive. The conductivityproperties are studied as a function of various parameters including temperature andmechanical stress. It is shown that fiber drawing induced by the process leads to a relativetranslation of the nanotubes relative to each other and to a loss of electrical contacts. Ananalytical model accounts for this phenomenon and reproduces the experimental results.Polymer-nanotube fibers exhibit also particularly original thermomechanical properties suchas shape memory effects that are controllable by the programming process. Surprisingly, thefibers have a temperature memory reflected by a peak of the generated stress at thetemperature at which the materials has been programmed. These effects have beendemonstrated for various types of deformations including elongation and torsion. Althoughthese effects are governed by the properties of the polymer, it is shown that the introductionof nanotubes provides significant improvements of the thermomechanical properties.