Modeling of Shape Memory Alloy Actuators Using Likhachev’s Formulation

This article presents a simplified version of Likhachev’s micromechanical model and its integration in ANSYS, a commercial finite element software package used to simulate the response of a structure equipped with shape memory alloy wire actuators controlled by direct Joule heating. The original Likhachev’s formulation is adapted to obtain a model that is easy to characterize, numerically efficient, and general in the sense that it can simulate all the shape memory-related features using the same formulation (superelasticity, shape memory effect, stress generation, etc.). The adapted Likhachev’s formulation is coupled to an electro-thermal model to simulate temporal response of actuators heated by an electrical current. An experimental result obtained with a deformable airfoil powered by shape memory actuators is used to validate the proposed electro-thermo-mechanical model.