Effect of heating/cooling rates on the material properties of NiTi wires for civil structural applications

• Experiments were conducted on NiTi wires at varying heating/cooling rates.
• The phase transformation process was dependent on the heating/cooling rates.
• The heating/cooling rate significantly influences the specific heat capacity.
• The heating/cooling rate influences the transformation temperatures under stress.
• The heating rate significantly influences the recovery stress generated by heating.

The effect of heating/cooling rates on the material properties of NiTi wires was investigated experimentally. The specific heat capacity during phase transformation was found to be significantly sensitive to the heating/cooling rate. Contrary to the traditional perception, the phase transformation temperatures under stress were found to be dependent on the heating/cooling rate, and they were lower during heating at a lower rate but higher during cooling at a lower rate. The recovery stress generated during heating was also found to be significantly influenced by the heating rate. This study provides new insights into the material properties for efficient structural applications.