An Overview of Smart Material Systems and Structures

Smart materials are inspired in natural characteristics being characterized by a multiphysics coupling that confer an adaptive behavior. This remarkable characteristic is motivating the creation of systems and structures with the ability to change properties due to environmental changes which makes possible sensing and actuating in different perspectives. This review paper presents a general overview of smart materials, discussing fundamentals and applications. Shape memory alloys and piezoelectric materials are of special interest. Earthquake-resistant structures; origami-inspired systems and structures; morphing structures; energy harvesting devices are some applications discussed.