A model for iron-based shape memory alloys considering variable elastic stiffness and coupling between plasticity and phase transformation

The paper presents a new constitutive model for iron-based shape memory alloys (Fe-SMAs) adapted from the ZM model initially proposed for Nitinol by Zaki and Moumni [JMPS2007]. The model introduces nonlinear hardening terms to account for interactions between the grains, martensite variants and slip systems that may exist within a volume element of the material. The expressions used for the hardening terms are similar to those in (Khalil et al. [JIMSS2012]). The equations of the model are derived from the expression of a Helmholtz free energy potential, with complementary loading conditions obtained within the framework of generalized standard materials with internal constraints. A detailed derivation of the implicit algorithm used for the integration of the model is provided and used for numerical simulations that are shown to agree with experimental data.