In this paper, a shape memory alloy hybrid composite (SMAHC) was developed and characterized by theoretical and experimental analysis, in the elastic regime, involving the fabrication of laminated beams. The hybrid beam was made of epoxy matrix reinforced with SMA wires and E-glass chopped mat, with and without vacuum bag, as well as cold and hot curing. The two plies incorporating wires reinforced with roving or not, were symmetrically distributed along the thickness direction, as far as possible from the beam´s middle surface. Similar specimens were also produced, substituting the Ni-Ti (SMA) wires by cheaper galvanized steel wires. The flexure elasticity modulus of the beams was compared with those obtained analytically. The main objective was to evaluate the bending stiffness of the beams, when the temperature of the Ni-Ti wires was increased by Joule effect, from 25 ºC and 69 ºC. The SMAHC beams, with volume fraction of Ni-Ti up to 2%, presented an increase in the modulus, up to 6.53 %, by changing the phase of the wires, from the martensite (25 ºC) to the austenite (69 ºC).
Ni-Ti shape memory alloy; SMAHC beam; thermoelastic behavior
