Welcome to the Shape Memory and Structures (SMS) research group at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The mission of the SMS group is advancing the knowledge in the area of developing innovative structural approaches for natural and man-made hazard mitigation using smart and advanced materials such as shape memory alloys (SMAs), shape memory composites, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs), etc. Civil infrastructure systems such as bridges, tunnels, power plants, roads, etc. are the heart of any nation. Like the heart in a human body, the infrastructure undertakes the responsibility of ensuring the survival and vitality of our societies. The last few decades have clearly demonstrated the vulnerability of our civil infrastructure systems to problems like aging, natural and man-made hazard including aging, earthquakes, hurricanes, blasts, etc. Among the primary reasons for this vulnerability are the limitations and shortcomings of the construction materials used. No doubt, conventional materials such as steel, concrete, and wood have proven to be limited in terms of their ability to withstand the extreme demands imposed on them by modern societies. The limitations in currently used construction materials combined with the consistently growing population worldwide present new challenges and demands for researchers in the field of structural engineering. Hence, there is a constantly growing need for new materials that are capable of extending the service life of structures with minimal or no need for maintenance or repairs; materials that are capable of increasing the resilience of our structures against natural and man-made hazards. These innovative materials would possess special characteristics which our conventional materials lack.

During the last two decades, the field of material science has witnessed milestone discoveries that could reshape the future of mankind. These discoveries brought to our daily lives materials with unconventional and distinguished features in terms of their unique physical and mechanical properties, and thus are often referred to as “Smart Materials”. These materials have already found and are still finding their way into many applications in fields such as aerospace and bio-engineering. The mission of SMS research group is to promote the application of these smart materials in rehabilitating and re-building our existing and future civil infrastructure.