Applications of Shape Memory Alloys in Structural Engineering

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) have physical and mechanical features that make them successful candidates for use in structural engineering applications. Primarily, SMAs play a key role toward the development and implementation of smart materials/devices, which can be integrated into structures to provide functions such as sensing, energy dissipation, actuation, monitoring, self-adapting, and healing of structures. Other excellent properties of SMAs can be exploited in civil engineering applications, such as good fatigue and corrosion resistance, large damping capacity, and good versatility in terms of their many possible shapes and configurations. This chapter discusses the variety of SMA applications in structural engineering based on the application domain.