Shock Absorber using Hydraulic System and Shape Memory Alloys

摘要

A new type of shock absorber was designed. The shape memory alloy (SMA) bars were used as the kernel components for energy dissipation and restoration in the stress mode of pure tension. Their initial deformation was enlarged by the hydraulic system with two pistons of different sizes. In this way, high material utilization and high relative displacement were guaranteed together. The prototype device was fabricated, analyzed and experimental tested. The results show that the shape and amplitude of the force-displacement curve of the device could be easily changed by varying the hydraulic system, the number and/or the characteristics of the SMA bars. The new device can be separately or combined used as shock absorber and/or vibration isolation component for vehicles or other machines.