Thermomechanical response of SMA fiber composites with non-uniform temperature distribution

A micromechanics method based on the High-Order-Theory developed by Aboudi et al. is used to predict the thermomechanical response of composites reinforced by shape memory alloy (SMA) fibers, and the non-uniform thermal distribution in composite arising from the process of heating or cooling is considered. The numerical development based on this model was coded to predict the thermomechanical response of shape memory alloy fiber/elastomer matrix composite subjected to thermal cycle loading. When the composite is heated, two heating ways, thermal gradients and heat source by passing an electric current through the SMA fibers are imposed on the composite respectively. Upon cooling, the first thermal boundary condition and the second thermal boundary condition are subjected to the composite respectively. A series of stress distributions and temperature distributions for different instants are calculated to reveal the interaction between the SMA material and matrix. It is useful to analyze and design the SMA actuator driven by heat source or the surface temperature.