SMA for Aeronautics

The aviation industry has achieved drastic improvements during the past few decades, thanks to research efforts and advances in technology. With increased emphasis on adaptability and multifunctionality, smart materials and adaptive structures are now common terms in the literature and have been investigated extensively in many research programs to explore enhanced capabilities in aeronautical and space applications. The use of smart materials such as shape memory alloys gives us the chance to design mechanical and aerospace structures for better system performance, such as low vibration, shape control, and structural health monitoring. Such technologies, transitioning rapidly from basic research to reliable applications with a certain profile of maturity, offer the possibility of expanding current structural functionalities or replacing existing ones in retrofit applications. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.