Vibrational Analysis of Composite Beam Embedded with Nitinol Shape Memory Alloy Wires

In this paper, laminated composite materials were hybridized with fibers (E-glass) and shape memory alloy wires which considered a smart material. The effect of changing frequency on the (acceleration- frequency) response curve, the damping ratio of the vibration modes, the natural frequencies of the vibration mode, the effect of shape memory alloy wires number on the damping characteristics were studied. Hand lay-up technique was used to prepare the specimens, epoxy resin type was used as a matrix reinforced by fiber, E-glass. The specimens were manufactured by stacking 2 layers of fibers. Shape memory alloy, type Nitinol (nickel-titanium) having a diameter (1 and 2mm), was used to manufacture the specimens by embedding (1,2 and 3) wires into epoxy. Experimentally, the acceleration- frequency response curve was plotted for the vibration modes, this curve was used to measure the natural frequencies of the vibration modes and calculate the damping ratio of the vibration modes. ANSYS 15- APDL was used to determine the mode shape and find the natural frequencies of the vibration modes then compared with the experimental results. The results illustrated that, for all specimens increasing the natural frequency leads to decreasing the damping ratio. Increasing the number of shape memory alloy wires leads to increase the values of the damping ratio of the vibration modes and the natural frequencies of the vibration modes at room temperature.