Session: 02-03-02: Dynamic Loads, Wave Propagations, Response, Vibration, Control, and Alleviation of Aerospace Structures and Vehicles

Paper Number: 152237

152237 - Damping Performance of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers With Embedded Shape Memory Alloy Wires 

This paper explores the integration of shape memory alloy (SMA) wires within fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites to enhance their dynamic properties. The strategic embedding of these wires is essential for achieving optimized performance characteristics, allowing the SMA wires to effectively respond to external forces such as mechanical loads, vibrations, and environmental changes. Towards this goal, the SMA/glass/epoxy composite laminates are manufactured using a wet lay-up vacuum bagging process, with SMA wires embedded at various axial positions while maintaining symmetry around the neutral axis. A temperature-controlled circuit is developed to precisely control the activation of the SMA wires and prevent overheating. The hybrid SMA-FRP laminates were tested in a cantilever beam configuration to assess their dynamic response. A Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) was employed along with an impact hammer to measure the natural frequencies, as well as the vibrational velocity of the samples. The dynamic behavior of the laminate with selective wire activation was compared to that of the hybrid laminate without such activation. The results demonstrate a significant potential for enhancing the dynamic properties of the laminates, particularly in reducing vibration amplitudes and altering natural frequencies for low-frequency applications.  The selective embedding and activation of SMA wires notably improve the energy absorption capability and overall performance of the system under dynamic loading. These advancements hold promise for aerospace structures, where enhanced tunable vibration control and energy absorption are critical for safety and performance.

Presenting Author: Maya Pishvar California State University Northridge

Presenting Author Biography: Maya Pishvar is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She received her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at the University of Oklahoma, undertook a postdoctoral scholar appointment in mechanical engineering at The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on the mechanics, design, processing, and characterization of composites and architected material systems.