The influence of stress ratio of cyclic loading on properties and mechanism of nitinol fracture

Keywords

nitinol, low-cycle fatigue, stress ratio, dissipated energy, fractographic studies, fracture mechanism.

Cite as

Iasnii V. P., Krechkovska H. V., Bykiv N. Z., Student O. Z., and Lubianytskyi R. S. The influence of stress ratio of cyclic loading on properties and mechanism of nitinol fracture. Physicochemical Mechanics of Materials. 2025. 61(4), 032-038.

https://doi.org/10.15407/pcmm2025.04.032

Abstract

The shape memory alloy (nitinol) was studied under low-cycle fatigue at a frequency of 0.5 Hz, different levels of maximum stresses σ_max and stress ratio R (0.1 and 0.5) in the loading cycle. It was shown that regardless of the level of σ_max, the energy dissipated during deformation of nitinol at R = 0.1 always exceeded that inherent to it at R = 0.5, and decreased more intensively with an increase in the number of loading cycles. As a result, nitinol specimens loaded at lower R heated more, stabilizing nitinol in the austenitic state. It was believed that at lower R this is a factor that inhibits the stress-induced transformation of austenite into martensite. Differences in the mechanism of fracture of nitinol at different R were studied.

References

1. X. Zhou, Y. Huang, K. Ke, M.C.H. Yam, H. Zhang, and H. Fang, “Large-size shape memory alloy plates subjected to cyclic tension: towads novel self-centring connections in steel frames,” Thin-Walled Structures, 185. (2023). Article number 110591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tws.2023.110591
2. H. Qian, H. Luo, Y. Shi, Q. Lü, and M. Umar, “A review and comparative study on the performance of self-centering damping devices based on SMA,” Structures, 71, (2025). Article number 108027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2024.108027
3. P. Yasniy, M. Kolisnyk, O. Kononchuk, and V. Iasnii, “Calculation of constructive parameters of SMA damper,” Sci. J. TNTU, 88, No. 4, 7-15 (2017). https://doi.org/10.33108/visnyk_tntu2017.04.007
4. H. Yin, Y. He, and Q. Sun, “Effect of deformation frequency on temperature and stress oscilla¬tions in cyclic phase transition of NiTi shape memory alloy,” J. of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 67, 100-128 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2014.01.013
5. A.-L. Gloanec, G. Bilotta, and M. Gerland, “Deformation mechanisms in a TiNi shape memory alloy during cyclic loading,” Mater. Sci. and Eng: A, 564, 351-358 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2012.11.051
6. O. Doare, A. Sbarra, C. Touzé, M. O. Moussa, and Z. Moumni, “Experimental analysis of the quasi-static and dynamic torsional behaviour of shape memory alloys,” Int. J. Solid. Struct., 49, Is. 1, 32-42 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2011.09.009
7. C. Morin, Z. Moumni, and W. Zaki, “A constitutive model for shape memory alloys accoun¬ting for thermomechanical coupling,” Int. J. of Plasticity, 27, Is. 5, 748-767 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijplas.2010.09.005
8. X. Zhang, P. Feng, Y. J. He, T. Yu, and Q. P. Sun, “Experimental study on rate dependence of macroscopic domain and stress hysteresis in NiTi shape memory alloy strips,” Int. J. of Mech. Sci., 52, Is. 12, 1660-1670 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2010.08.007
9. A. Paradis, P. Terriault, V. Brailovski, and V. Torra, “On the partial recovery of residual strain accumulated during an interrupted cyclic loading of NiTi shape memory alloys,” Smart Materials and Structures, 17, Is. 6, 1-11 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1088/0964-1726/17/6/065027
10. Q. S. Liu, X. Ma, C. X. Lin, and Y. D. Wu, “Effect of the heat treatment on the damping characteristics of the NiTi shape memory alloy,” Mater. Sci. and Eng.: A, 438-440, 563-566 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2006.02.110
11. E. F. de Souza, P. C. S. da Silva, E. N. D. Grassi, C. J. de Araújo, and A. G. B. de Lima, “Critical frequency of self-heating in a superelastic Ni-Ti belleville spring: experimental characterization and numerical simulation,” Sensors, 21, Is. 21 (2021). Article number 7140. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21217140
12. G. González-Sanz, D. Galé-Lamuel, D. Escolano-Margarit, and A. Benavent-Climent, “Hysteretic behavior and ultimate energy dissipation capacity of large diameter bars made of shape memoryalloys under seismic loadings,” Metals. 9, Is. 10 (2019). Article number 1099. https://doi.org/10.3390/met9101099
13. V. Iasnii, O. Yasniy, S. Homon, V. Budz, and P. Yasniy, “Capabilities of self-centering damping device based on pseudoelastic NiTi wires,” Eng. Struct., 278 (2023). Article number 115556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2022.115556
14. S. Nemat-Nasser, and W-G Guo, “Superelastic and cyclic response of NiTi SMA at various strain rates and temperatures,” Mech. Mater., 38, 463-474 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechmat.2005.07.004
15. V. Iasnii, and R. Junga, “Phase transformations and mechanical properties of the nitinol alloy with shape memory,” Mater. Sci., 54, No. 3, 406-411 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-018-0199-7
16. H. Hong, B. Gencturk, M. S. Saiidi, S. Kise, and Y. Araki, “Effect of plastic deformation and temperature on the functional fatigue behavior of large dia¬meter superelastic Ni-Ti shape memory alloys,” Smart Materials and Structures, 34, Is. 4 (2025). Article number 045017. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-665X/adca77
17. V. P. Iasnii, Student O. Z., and Nykyforchyn H. М., “Influence of hydrogenation on the charac¬ter of fracture of Nitinol alloy in tension,” Mater. Sci., 55, No. 3, 386-391 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-019-00314-y
18. V. P. Iasnii, H. M Nykyforchyn, O. Z. Student, and L. M. Svirska, “Fractographic features of the fatigue fracture of nitinol alloy,” Mater. Sci., 55, No. 5, 774-779 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-020-00370-9
19. Y. Zhang, Y. You, Z. Moumni, G. Anlas, J. Zhu, and W. Zhang, “Experimental and theoretical investigation of the frequency effect on low cycle fatigue of shape memory alloys,” Int. J. of Plasticity, 90, 1-30 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijplas.2016.11.012
20. V. P. Iasnii, H. V. Krechkovska, V. I. Budz, and O. Z. Student, “Peculiarities of fatigue fracture of a shape memory alloy at different load frequencies,” Mater. Sci., 59, No. 4, 405-413 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11003-024-00791-w