Smart materials in architecture for actuator and sensor applications: A review

Abstract

Severe challenges such as depletion of natural resources, natural catastrophes, extreme weather conditions, or overpopulation require intelligent solutions especially in architecture. Built environments that are conceived from smart materials based on actuator and sensor functionality provide a promising approach in order to address this demand. The present paper reviews smart materials-based technologies which are currently applied or developed for application in civil structures, focusing on smart material applications for actuation or sensing. After giving a definition and categorization of smart materials, applications of the investigated materials (i.e. shape memory materials, electro- and magnetostrictive materials, piezoelectric materials, ionic polymer-metal composites, dielectrical elastomers, polyelectrolyte gels as well as magneto- and electrorheological fluids) are presented for the fields of architecture and civil engineering. While some materials are already highly advantageous in the application context, others still need further research in order to become applicable in real-world constructions. Nonetheless this review indicates their large innovation potential which should be consolidated by systematic research efforts in the near future.

Recent Developments in Shape Memory Elastomers for Biotechnology Applications

“…The stimulus could be strain, stress, temperature, pressure, electric and magnetic fields, irradiation, or chemicals. Examples of smart materials include coatings that transform colour owing to the presence of chemicals, materials that have a shape memory at specific temperatures and paint that self-heals when it is scratched [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Smart materials can acquire, convey, or process a stimulus and reply by creating a 'useful' effect.…”

2D Temperature Field Reconstruction Using Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry and Machine-Learning Algorithms

“…Growing interest to smart composite materials production opens new areas for fiber sensor application [ 16 , 17 ]. Since an optical fiber acting as a distributed sensor may be embedded in a material with a complex topology, or may pass through several different types of materials, etc., the problem of reconstructing the external physical impact on the material can be significantly complicated.…”

Evolution of electrical conductivity in semi‐interpenetrating polymer network of shape memory polyvinyl chloride and polyaniline

“…28 Electrically conductive SMPs have great potential in many applications. 29,30 Most of the reported electrically conductive SMPs are fabricated by those conventional composite techniques. [31][32][33] As well documented in the literature, the electrical conductivity of those conductive SMPs not only changes in the shape memory process, but also deteriorates upon shape memory cycling.…”

“…Electrically conductive SMPs have great potential in many applications 29,30 . Most of the reported electrically conductive SMPs are fabricated by those conventional composite techniques 31–33 .…”