This article deals with the geometrically linear and nonlinear modeling of martensitic
phase transitions in shape memory alloys. A geometrically nonlinear theory is
required for the thermomechanical simulation of complex structures like endoscopic
devices and stents. However, in certain situations like the simulation of pipe couplers,
it is sufficient to apply a geometrically linear theory. In both cases, a free
energy function is introduced, evolution equations for internal variables are
postulated, and the dependence of the fraction of oriented martensite on the
transformation strains is represented by a novel constitutive equation. In all, the
developed constitutive theories are able to depict the thermomechanically coupled
behavior of shape memory alloys. This is demonstrated in Part II of this
article (to appear in this journal, in coauthorship with M. Schäfers). For
this purpose, the theories are numerically treated in the framework of the
finite element method in order to solve initial-boundary-value problems.
These illustrate the main features of the constitutive theories by means of
numerical test calculations. The results are compared with experimental
data.