Shape Memory Alloys

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are special metallic materials that have witnessed growing interest within the civil engineering community over the last few decades. This chapter presents a basic introduction to SMAs, what they are, including their common types, mechanical properties, and the two distinguished thermomechanical phenomena that make these alloys effective for different structural applications. An overview of the SMA global market and the advantages of using SMAs over other conventional materials is presented primarily for seismic and prestressing applications.