Estimation of Strain for Large Deformation in SMA-textile Actuator Using Nonlinear Geometry Analysis

Shape memory alloy (SMA)-textile actuators have attracted significant attention across various fields, including soft robotics and wearable technology. These smooth actuators are developed by combining SMA and simple textile fibers and then knitting them into two loop patterns known as the knit (K-loop) and plain (P-loop) patterns. Both loops are distinguished by opposite bending characteristics owing to loop head geometry. However, the knitting processes for these actuator sheets require expertise and time, resulting in high production costs for knitted loop actuation sheets. This study introduces a novel method by which to assess the strain in SMA textile-based actuators, which experience large deformations when subjected to voltage. Owing to the highly nonlinear constitutive equations of the SMA material, developing an analytical model for numerical analysis is challenging. Therefore, this study employs a novel approach that utilizes a linear constitutive equation to analyze large deformations in SMA material with nonlinear geometry considerations. The user-defined material (UMAT) subroutine integrates the linear constitutive equation into the ABAQUS software suite. This equivalent unit cell (EUC) model is validated by comparing the experimental bending actuation results of K-loops and P-loops.