Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are active materials that exhibit special properties such as pseudoelasticity and memory effect. These properties are resulting from austenite vs. martensite reversible transformations governed by temperature and mechanical stress states. The austenite phase (A) and the martensite phase (M) are present respectively at high and low temperature. The shape memory effect is the ability of the material to retain a deformation gained in the martensite phase, i.e. at low temperature, and then to recover its initial shape when it returns to the austenite phase upon temperature increase. The mechanical behaviour of structural concrete is governed by a process of damage. The damaging process can be delayed by applying a uni- or multiaxial compression in order to counterbalance local tensile stresses in the material. The present thesis deals with the use of shape memory alloys (SMAs) to create prestress states in concrete components. The work is based on two approaches: experimental and modelling. In the first part, preliminary tests concern the studies of the thermomechanical behaviour of Ni-Ti SMA. This complex response is studied singly by means of a MTS uniaxial testing machine and heating-cooling systems. Then, SMA wires are used to create prestress states in small-scale concrete beams as well as confinement states in concrete cylinders. They were given a prestrain in a martensitic state before being firmly fixed on concrete components. Thermal activation of the memory effect in the SMA wires caused their tensioning, which resulted in reaction in the creation of stresses in the concrete. Moreover, crush tests of concrete cylinders are performed in order to estimate the improvement of the mechanical performance of concrete confined by means of SMA wires. The test results show that the confinement effect can improve strongly the mechanical performance of concrete. In the second part, a thermomechanical model is performed to analyze the behaviour of SMA with an extension to allow for uniaxial traction-compression. A steps by steps process of the numerical simulation is developed for SMAs during the process of prestress creation. This simulation gives a detailed description of the mechanisms of SMA wires which lead to the process of experimental studies on the SMAs-concrete components. A complex interaction between the concrete and the SMAs is evidenced by means of the thermomechanical model of SMAs. Finally, studies presented in the present thesis confirm the possibility to use SMA as preventive reinforcement for application to civil engineering structures.
