Impact damage resistance and damage suppression properties of shape memory alloys in hybrid composites: a review

Stefano Angioni, Michele Meo, A Foreman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

83 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Composite materials are known to have a poor resistance to through-the-thickness impact loading. There are various methods for improving their impact damage tolerance, such as fiber toughening, matrix toughening, interface toughening, through-the-thickness reinforcements, and selective interlayers and hybrids. Hybrid composites with improved impact resistance are particularly useful in military and commercial civil applications. Hybridizing composites using shape memory alloys (SMA) is one solution since SMA materials can absorb the energy of the impact through superelastic deformation or recovery stress, reducing the effects of the impact on the composite structure. The SMA material may be embedded in the hybrid composites (SMAHC) in many different forms and also the characteristics of the fiber reinforcements may vary, such as SMA wires in woven laminates or SMA foils in unidirectional laminates, only to cite two examples. We will review the state of the art of SMAHC for the purpose of damage suppression. Both the active and passive damage suppression mechanisms will be considered.
Original languageEnglish
Article number013001
JournalSmart Materials and Structures
Volume20
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2011

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Impact damage resistance and damage suppression properties of shape memory alloys in hybrid composites: a review'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this