ME8223

Smart materials are an emergent class of stimuli-responsive materials. For example, in response to a change in temperature, shape memory alloys change their shape, alternatively, a magnetic field applied to a magneto-rheological material causes a change in the material stiffness. A smart structure is assembled to use the smart properties of its individual components. Smart materials and structures hold promise to provide integrated sensing, actuation, computation, and communication in a single material system. Successful integration of specific functionalities includes self-healing, self-cooling, deployable structures, structural health monitoring, combined sensor/actuator material systems, and
energy harvesting for various medical and rehabilitative devices, aerospace structures, and consumer products.

This course covers the phenomenological material performance and design approaches for smart materials and structures. A fundamental understanding of the underlying mechanisms and graphical and mathematical representations of the mechanical behavior of the material and structures is necessary to design these systems. The fundamental material behavior and structural modeling approaches will be covered through lectures, while students in the course will present recent research developments. The course will provide experience in design with smart materials and structures, reporting of research results through written and oral presentations, and critical analysis of recent research publications. Motivated students from a broad range of disciplines are encouraged to join.