Finite element simulation of the magneto-mechanical response of a magnetic shape memory alloy sample

Abstract

In this paper, the stress- and magnetic field-induced variant reorientation in a magnetic shape memory alloy (MSMA) sample is simulated by using the finite element method. This model is set up based on a three-dimensional setting with the whole sample and the surrounding space taken into account. A typical loading pattern is proposed on the sample. The unknowns of the model governing system include the spatial displacement vector, the scalar magnetic potential and some internal variables related to the effective magnetization vector. By considering the different properties of the unknowns, an iterative computational scheme is proposed to derive the numerical solutions. With the obtained solutions, the magneto-mechanical response of the MSMA sample under different field and stress levels can be predicted. The distributions of the variant state and the effective magnetization in the sample can also be determined. By comparing with the experimental results, it is found that the numerical solutions obtained in this model can predict the response of the MSMA sample at a quantitative level.

Keywords:

• magnetic shape memory alloy
• magneto-mechanical response
• finite element simulation
• iterative computational scheme
• numerical solution

Acknowledgments

The work introduced in this paper is supported by a Humboldt postdoctoral fellowship provided by Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany.