Shape Memory Alloy Engineering

Chapter 10

SMA for Aeronautics

Rosario Pecora¹,  and Ignazio Dimino^2     1Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy     ²The Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA), Capua (CE), Italy

Abstract

The aviation industry has achieved drastic improvements during the past few decades, thanks to research efforts and advances in technology. With increased emphasis on adaptability and multifunctionality, smart materials and adaptive structures are now common terms in the literature and have been investigated extensively in many research programs to explore enhanced capabilities in aeronautical and space applications. The use of smart materials such as shape memory alloys gives us the chance to design mechanical ...