Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) with Thermal Effect

This example problem presents two shape memory alloy (SMA) simulations: a spinal spacer implant and
a spring actuator.

The following features and capabilities are highlighted:

• The SMA material model using martensite and austenite (nitinol)

• SMA behavior with thermal loading

Topics related to this example problem follow:

1. Introduction
2. SMA Phase Transformation Theory
3. SMA Thermal Effect Simulations
4. Recommendations
5. References
6. Input Files

1. Introduction
A shape memory alloy (SMA) is a material that, after being subjected to mechanical loading/unloading
cycles, is able to undergo large deformations without showing residual strains (pseudoelasticity) or that
can recover from large deformations via temperature change (shape memory effect).

Pseudoelasticity and the shape memory effect are material characteristics especially useful for aeronaut-
ical, biomedical, and structural engineering applications. Although much progress has been made with
SMA material analysis and design, many challenges still exist for precisely controlling SMAs due to highly
nonlinear hysteretic transformation, material degradation, and thermo-mechanical fatigue. Finite element
analysis has been widely used to simulate SMA material and provides a valuable tool for designing
products using SMA materials.

2. SMA Phase Transformation Theory

The second order tensor, Ein, is defined as transformation strain to measure the strain associated with
the phase transformation:
(1)

where eL is a maximum value norm of Ein in the phase transformation after fully transformed.

The stress, s, is therefore expressed in terms of strain:

(2)

During the transformation, the transformation stress is defined as:

(3)

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Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) with Thermal Effect

where is a positive and monotonically increasing function of the room temperature,

T, and the material-dependent temperature, T0, below which no twinned martensite occurs. b is a ma-
terial parameter. The material parameter h is associated with the hardening of the material in the phase
transformation.

g is defined by

The evolutionary equation for Ein has the following form:

(4)

where the limit function F is given in terms of the transformation stress Xtr and the elastic domain ra-
dius R in the form of the Prager-type limit function:

(5)

where:

Thus, the governing equations for the phase transformation are expressed as:

(6)

In addition to the Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio of martensite and austenite, six other parameters
are defined: M, R, h, T0, b, and eL.

3. SMA Thermal Effect Simulations

The following examples demonstrate typical SMA-based applications with thermal loading:
3.1. Simulation of a Spinal Spacer Implant
3.2. Simulation of a Spring Actuator

The spinal vertebrae spacer is simulated via SOLID187 elements, and the spring actuator is simulated
via BEAM188 and SOLID185 elements.

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 SMA Thermal Effect Simulations

3.1. Simulation of a Spinal Spacer Implant

Approximately 20 percent of Americans between the ages of 20 and 64 have back pain problems [1],
most of which are associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. In some cases, a degenerated
IVD is surgically replaced with a spinal spacer inserted into the space between vertebrae, as shown:

Figure 1: Spinal Spacer Implant

Spinal spacers restore disc space height, alignment, and the spine’s ability to bear weight, any or all of
which can be lost due to IVD degeneration. Finite element analysis of implant function can help improve
the design and quality of the spinal spacer.

The following topics related to this example simulation are available:

3.1.1. Problem Description
3.1.2. Modeling
3.1.3. Material Properties
3.1.4. Boundary Conditions and Loading
3.1.5. Analysis and Solution Controls
3.1.6. Results and Discussion

3.1.1. Problem Description

To simulate the function of a spinal spacer implant, the spacer is initially loaded at room temperature
297 K. The spacer is compressed from the top by a rigid surface to a thickness of 3.375 mm. The com-
pression is then removed, and the spacer undergoes elastic recovery. To remove the residual strain, the
spacer is heated to 326 K and then cooled to body temperature 311 K.

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Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) with Thermal Effect

Figure 2: Loading and Recovery of a Spinal Spacer Implant

3.1.2. Modeling
A 3-D geometry of the spinal spacer is created in Unigraphics, using dimensions found in Petrini 2005
[2]. The geometry is imported into Mechanical APDL and meshed with SOLID187 elements. Because the
spacer is symmetrical, only 1/4 of the spacer is studied.

Figure 3: Spinal Spacer 1/4 Model

3.1.3. Material Properties

The spinal spacer analysis uses the following material properties [2]:

Spinal Spacer Material Properties

Elastic modulus for austenite phase (MPa) 70,000
Elastic modulus for martensite phase (MPa) 70,000

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 SMA Thermal Effect Simulations

Spinal Spacer Material Properties

Poisson’s ratio 0.3
H (MPa) 500
R (MPa) 120
-1
B (MPa ◊ K ) 8.3
T0 (K) 311
M 0

3.1.4. Boundary Conditions and Loading

Symmetrical conditions are applied to the 1/4 model of the spinal spacer. A rigid surface contacts the
top of the model, and a compressing displacement is applied to that surface. After the displacement
is removed, a thermal load is applied to the whole model.

3.1.5. Analysis and Solution Controls

A nonlinear static analysis is performed with large deformation enabled (NLGEOM,ON). After the
mechanical loading is applied, thermal loading is applied over three steps (4 - 6) for quicker convergence.

In step 4, the temperature is increased from 297 K to 311 K. Convergence is achieved quickly as this
temperature is below T0.

In step 5, the temperature is again increased from 311 K to 324 K. The major phase transformation does
not occur in this step, so convergence is again achieved quickly.

In step 6, the temperature is increased above 324 K, and the shape memory effect occurs, so convergence
is slower.

3.1.6. Results and Discussion

Following is the displacement of central point A (shown in Figure 3: Spinal Spacer 1/4 Model ):

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Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) with Thermal Effect

Figure 4: Displacements of Central Node A of the Spinal Spacer

The following figure shows the deformation of the spacer at each step:

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 SMA Thermal Effect Simulations

Figure 5: Spinal Spacer Deformation and Stress

In step 2, the displacement is 4.5 mm and the stress is 1994 MPa. After elastic recovery, the peak dis-
placement decreases to 3.0 mm and the stress is 579 MPa. In the final step, displacement and stress
approaches zero, indicating that the spacer has returned to its original shape.

The simulation accurately depicts the spacer under load (step 2), during elastic recovery (step 3), and
at full recovery due to SMA thermal effects (step 6).

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Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) with Thermal Effect

3.2. Simulation of a Spring Actuator

Because of their large-strain capabilities and high force-to-weight ratios, SMAs are used widely as
compact, flexible actuators in a variety of industries. For example, SMAs can be used as combination
sensor-actuators in thermal bridges for cryogenic coolers, variable-area exhaust nozzles for turboma-
chinery, and active clearance controls for blade shrouds. A prominent aircraft manufacturer has integrated
SMAs into their variable geometry chevrons for engine noise control.

In this problem, a vertical helical spring is simulated to repeat its two-way motion due to the shape
memory effect. The following related topics are available:
3.2.1. Problem Description
3.2.2. Modeling
3.2.3. Material Properties
3.2.4. Boundary Conditions and Loading
3.2.5. Analysis and Solution Controls
3.2.6. Results and Discussion

3.2.1. Problem Description

A vertical helical spring is simulated with shape memory effect using two different models, a BEAM188
element model and a SOLID185 element model.

The spring is loaded by a weight of 1830 N in the martinsite state at a temperature of 250 K, then
heated to 400 K. At the increased temperature, the spring lifts the weight. The spring is then cooled
back to 250 K and stretches again. A repeatable, two-way motion occurs, as shown in this figure:

Figure 6: Motion of a Vertical Helical Spring

3.2.2. Modeling
The geometry of the spring actuator is created in Mechanical APDL with a wire diameter of 4 mm, a
spring external diameter of 24 mm, a pitch size of 12 mm, with two coils, and an initial length of 28
mm, as shown in the following figure:

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 SMA Thermal Effect Simulations

Figure 7: Finite Element Models of a Spring Actuator

The corresponding finite element model is created using BEAM188 elements. A 3-D model is generated
by extruding the initial finite element model and meshing with SOLID185 elements.

3.2.3. Material Properties

The following material properties [3], typical of nitinol, are used in the spring actuator simulation:

Material Properties for a Spring Actuator

Elastic modulus for austenite phase (MPa) 51,700
Elastic modulus for martensite phase (MPa) 51,700
Poisson’s ratio 0.3
H (MPa) 1000
R (MPa) 140
-1
B (MPa◊K ) 5.6
T0 (K) 250
M 0

3.2.4. Boundary Conditions and Loading

The top of the spring actuator is fixed, and the bottom is loaded with a weight of 1830 N. Displacements
are constrained in the X and Y directions. After the spring is stretched by the weight at temperature
250 K, the temperature is raised to 400 K to lift the weight, and the is reduced back to 250 K to lower
the weight.

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Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) with Thermal Effect

3.2.5. Analysis and Solution Controls

A nonlinear static analysis is performed using large-deformation (NLGEOM,ON) and unsymmetric matrices
for the full Newton-Raphson method (NROPT,UNSYM). The whole solution is completed in three load
steps, as shown in this figure:

Figure 8: Temperature and Force Load Steps

The results from the BEAM188 and SOLID185 models are compared.

3.2.6. Results and Discussion

The spring actuator stretched by load W in step 1 is shown in this figure:

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 SMA Thermal Effect Simulations

Figure 9: Spring Actuator Deformation at Step 1

The maximum displacement is 43 mm, greater than the original length of 28 mm.

In step 2, after heating with the shape memory effect, the spring actuator recovers to a maximum dis-
placement of 10 mm. The deformation is in the martinsite state to support the weight, as shown here:

Figure 10: Spring Actuator Deformation at Step 2

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Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) with Thermal Effect

In step 3, after cooling to 250 K, the spring actuator stretches back to its original length:

Figure 11: Spring Actuator Deformation at Step 3

Following is the displacement history of the actuator:

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 References

Figure 12: Displacement History: Bottom of a Spring Actuator with Temperature

The displacement history indicates that the BEAM188 and SOLID185 models have similar results. The
BEAM188 model is much more efficient, however, requiring about an hour to complete. In comparison,
the SOLID185 model requires more than eight hours to complete.

4. Recommendations
To perform similar types of analyses involving SMAs, consider the following:

• The stiffness of the material model is generally unsymmetrical, but a symmetric matrix is used in the solution
by default. If convergence difficulty occurs during the solution, specify the unsymmetric solver option
(NROPT,UNSYM).

• SMA phase transformation involves a transformation stage and the saturated transformation. Because con-
vergence is more difficult to achieve during the transformation stage, break the transformation loadstep
up into smaller ones and use smaller time steps.

• The superelasticity option (TBOPT = SUPE) of the material model (TB,SMA) supports only 3-D, plane strain,
and axisymmetric stress states. The memory option (TBOPT = MEFF) of the material model supports most
of the stress states including beam, shell, plane strain, axisymmetric, and 3-D stress states. The LINK180
element is not supported for either material option.

5. References
The following references are used in this example problem:

1. Paremer, A., S. Fumer, D. P. Rice. Musculoskeletal Conditions in the United States. 1st ed. Park Ridge: American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 1992.

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Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) with Thermal Effect

2. Petrini, L., F. Migliavacca, et al.“Computational Studies of Shape Memory Alloy Behavior in Biomedical
Applications.” Journal of Biomedical Engineering. 127 (2005): 716-725.

3. Arghavani, J., F. Auricchio, R. Naghdabadi.“A finite strain kinematic hardening constitutive model based
on Hencky strain: General framework, solution algorithm, and application to shape memory alloys.” Inter-
national Journal of Plasticity. 27 (2011): 940-961.

6. Input Files
The following files are used in this problem:

• td-40.dat -- Input file for this analysis.

• spinal_spacer_input.dat -- Input for the spinal space portion of the analysis.

• spacer.db -- Database file containing the spinal spacer model.

• actuator_beam_input.dat -- Input file for the spring actuator portion of the analysis (using beam
elements).

• td-40b.cdb -- Common database file containing the spring actuator model (using beam elements).

• actuator_solid_input.dat -- Input file for the spring actuator portion of the analysis (using solid
elements).

• td-40c.cdb -- Common database file containing the spring actuator model (using solid elements).

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