Superelastic Shape Memory Alloy Cantilever Beam of Variable X-Section: Nonlinear Theory, Numerical and Experimental Analysis for Smart Materials and Structures

Cantilever beams, made of shape memory alloy (SMA), undergo much larger deflection in comparison to those made of other materials. Again, cantilever beams with reducing cross-section along the span show larger deflections compared to those of constant X-section beams.Furthermore, the degree of complexity will further increase if the material or physical non- linearity is involved,typically for an SMA beam.That takes such a study in the domain of geometric nonlinearity together with material nonlinearity. Problems of physical and geometric nonlinearities are always challenges for the engineers. Analysis was conducted for such a cantilever beam with reducing X- sectional area, made of SMA with highly nonlinear stress-strain curves.The book explains the numerical analysis of SMA beam and provides experimental investigation on SS beam. Initially, experiments were conducted for SS beams with non- linear stress-strain curves. In addition to the experiment,a numerical simulation have been conducted for SMA beam.Effective modulus-curvature relations obtained from the nonlinear stress-strain relations for different sections of the beam that are used for the analysis.