Damage from recent earthquakes underscores the importance of developing new
approaches and technologies to improve the performance of structures during
earthquakes. The presentation will highlight applications of one class of smart
materials, shape memory alloys, in improving the performance of structures
subjected to earthquake loading. Shape memory alloys belong to a class of shape
memory materials which can undergo large deformations while reverting back to
their original, undeformed shape. This unique property has led to the development
of numerous applications in the biomedical, aerospace, and commercial industry. A
multi-scale and multi-disciplinary approach is taken to explore the potential use of
these systems for applications in earthquake engineering.

Reginald DesRoches is the Dean of William and Stephanie Sick of Engineering of Rice University.