NITINOL

Nitinol Material Property Definition

Description: Defines material properties for use in shape memory alloys (Nitinol).

Format:

Example:

Field Definition Type Default
MID Identification number of a MAT1 entry. Integer > 0 Required
ALPHA Pressure coefficient. Real ≥ 0 0.1
ELMAX Maximum residual strain. Real ≥ 0 0.1
CAS Conversion constant from austenite to martensite. Real ≥ 0 1.0
CSA Conversion constant from martensite to austenite. Real ≥ 0 1.0
TSAS Starting temperature of transformation from austenite to martensite. Real 0.0 See Remark 1
TFAS Ending temperature of transformation from austenite to martensite. Real 0.0 See Remark 1
TSSA Starting temperature of transformation from martensite to austenite. Real 0.0 See Remark 1
TFSA Ending temperature of transformation from martensite to austenite. Real 0.0 See Remark 1
BTAS Constant for exponential flow rule (austenite to martensite). Real ≥ 0 0.0 See Remark 2
BTSA Constant for exponential flow rule (martensite to austenite). Real ≥ 0 0.0 See Remark 2
SSAS Starting stress for transformation from austenite to martensite at reference temperature. Real 0.0 See Remark 3
SFAS Ending stress for transformation from austenite to martensite at reference temperature. Real 0.0 See Remark 3
SSSA Starting stress for transformation from martensite to austenite at reference temperature. Real 0.0 See Remark 3
SFSA Ending stress for transformation from martensite to austenite at reference temperature. Real 0.0 See Remark 3

Remarks:

  1. The following relations must be satisfied between the four temperatures:

    TFAS < TSAS < TSSA < TFSA

  2. When BTAS and BTSA are zero the material model is linear. When BTAS and BTSA are non-zero the material model is exponential with BTAS and BTSA as coefficients.
  3. The transformation stresses and temperature can be combined such that the transformation stress can be calculated by
    • Starting stress for transformation from austenite to martensite = SSAS - CAS*TSAS
    • Ending stress for transformation from austenite to martensite = SFAS - CAS*TFAS
    • Starting stress for transformation from martensite to austenite = SSSA - CSA*TSSA
    • Ending stress for transformation from martensite to austenite = SFSA - CSA*TFSA

Figure 1. Stress-Temperature Transformation Variables